D Gray Man: Reloaded
by MercenaryCrime
Summary: Set in modern times, Allen is forced to attend Our Sacred Heart Academy and fight for a God he doesn't believe in... with a hidden past and a sharp tongue things he never wanted to know start to reveal themselves... slight OOC-Allen and a ripped up plot line unlike the -Man you know!
1. Chapter 1

**Foreword: This story contains a few OC, I have even altered some of the original Man characters to suit the purpose of this stories plot…**

**If by any chance an OC possesses similar or exact same innocence as another story please PM me about it and who exactly because it will all be pure coincidence. **

**Cheers X3**

….

'Oi, get back here you brat!' a hoarse voice shouted as a boy fled from the food stall in the market place. The boy didn't care as he skimmed over the railing and landed lightly on the ground below.

People stood by shocked and baffled by what was going on as they watched the boy avoid a bear hug from a police officer and ducked into a small street and headed towards the bustling street where the sound of cars beeping their horns during the early morning rush hour.

'He's heading down the street,' one of them yelled as the boy skidded to a halt as a police car screeched on to the pavement and blocked his route. He gritted his teeth as he turned on his heel and slammed his knee into an advancing police officer sending him sprawling on the ground before he fled into the subway where he pushed his way through.

Bystanders were pushed and shoved aside as the police officers gave chase. The boy ducked in behind a pillar, his heavy panting made his chest pound as he stood there wondering what to do next. The tray of muffins he had managed to snatch from the vendor was still in his backpack he had slung over his left shoulder. The boy glanced up as a train docked in and noticed someone with a similar jumper to him. The boy casually walked past and slipped the muffin tray into the man's bag just as he boarded the train and made a quick dash under the stairwell.

'There he goes,' the boy heard a police officer shout as he watched them boarded the train to catch the unfortunate that now held the stole muffins. The boy smirked than sighed heavily as his stomach grumbled with hunger; it looks as if he was going to be missing out on breakfast again. The boy pulled off his jumper and stashed it into his bag as he climbed out of his hiding place and ruffled his dull red hair and sighed heavily again as he made his way out of the subway. Many commuters paid no attention to him or the commotion that was occurring in the subway platform as they bustled off to their jobs somewhere in the city. The boy weaved his way through the crowd as he finally slipped into a quiet street, which was quite rare in an area fairly concentrated by people, and knocked on a brass screen door till someone answered. An old woman answered as she eyed the boy's flushed face with dark curiosity.

'You look flustered Allen, what the heck did you get up to now?' the old woman retorted as she let the boy in and closed the door with a violent jam before locking the large wooden door. Allen didn't reply as he made his way into the living room and collapsed onto the couch, dumping his bag on the worn out carpet at his feet.

'You've been up to no good again, I can see it in your eyes Allen,' the old woman said as she came into the room and peeked through the curtain as if expecting someone to rock up before misplacing the curtain and taking a seat in a comfy armchair that seemed to be the only thing in good condition in the room.

'So what,' Allen grumbled, he was still quite annoyed to have lost his breakfast and his stomach growled again. The old woman chuckled as if she seemed to have figured out what had happened.

'How about getting a job instead of stealing? One of these days you'll be sent to juvenile detention,' the woman said as she got up quickly and shuffled into the kitchen and came back with a plate of croissants. Allen eyed the plate eagerly as he grabbed one before the old woman had placed it on the coffee table.

'We'll see,' Allen commented as he munched on the croissant and eyed the old girl suspiciously, she seemed to be acting too nice for his likely. By now she would have clipped him over the ear with her walking stick but she did no such thing as the woman sighed deeply and sank into her chair. He could see the sadness in her eyes and knew that something was up.

'You'll have to leave this place and find somewhere else to live Allen,' the woman finally said as Allen took another croissant without looking up. He had been expecting this for some time now as he nodded with understanding.

'I'll leave tonight then,' Allen said casually as the old woman looked at him in surprise and worry, which was definitely not her nature.

'You're still only fifteen Allen, maybe you should try to at least get a life away from the street,' the woman said with surprising concern but Allen rolled his eyes, he had heard similar speeches before whenever he stayed out at someone's place. Having someone concerned about his future was getting him paranoid.

'So I'll get a life, when I feel like it,' Allen said dryly as he grabbed two more croissants and wrapped them up in a serviette and shoved it into his bag. The old woman didn't say anything else as she got up and went to exit the room.

'May God be with you,' she uttered as if she was worried he might end up doing something he shouldn't have. Allen leaned back onto the couch and peered through the curtain as he watched several people pass by.

'God, huh,' he whispered with heavy sarcasm as he continued to watch the alleyway through the curtain.

….

It was roughly midnight as Allen finally decided to leave; the old woman had come to see him off as she handed over some money she had been saving. He looked at it with confusion, as he had never expected this from the old woman.

'Just to keep you from stealing,' she snapped as Allen felt his mouth twitch into a small smile, it seemed like the old woman was back to her old self. The boy jumped down the stairs as he began to exit the quiet street.

'Don't let me see you on the news,' she shouted dryly as Allen waved his hand in farewell without looking back. He walked cautiously out of the street and glanced around, he had a rough experience to know that the city was far more dangerous at night than during the day.

Gangs stalked the streets for unsuspecting victims and fight with anyone who dared to oppose them. Not only that but the police were also another problem as Allen stopped and pulled out his jumper and pulled it over his head as he released how cold it was outside. He slung his bag over his shoulder again and began to walk along the streets as the clouds darted over the moon.

The streetlights were an awful deep yellow and filled the streets with creepy shadows and unnecessary hiding places that could be lethal if he past them. Allen pulled the hood over his head as the breeze picked up and he hurried down the street only to bump into a broad looking man. The boy collapsed back onto the ground as he glanced up at the man who seems to be unnaturally bulking.

The man glanced at him briefly and hurried away as Allen stared after him in confusion but sighed deeply with relief as he got up and dusted himself before continuing on his way. Then an unearthly scream caused him to freeze, he had heard it before in his dreams but he was sure that he was awake and fully aware of his surrounds for it to be a dream.

Allen looked in the direction of where the broad man had headed towards and cocked his head with the intention of listening for something more. It was possible that it was just a gest of his imagination and nothing real could be made of it. But then it occurred again, the deep bellowing sound seemed to rake him with dreaded curiosity as he slowly made his way towards the sound.

Allen breathed deeply as he stuck to the shadows of the street making his way towards the sounds; it seemed like a fight had broken out as the noise echoed from a street nearby. He was close but he felt nervous about what he may find and how much trouble it would bring him.

As he stepped towards the corner of the building a falling sphere-like thing collapsed and exploded in front of him, Allen staggered back in surprise and fear as he stared at the carcass with an unsettling awe.

'Damn that general, get him,' an almost mechanical voice piked out as Allen cautiously looked around the corner. A monstrous thing was standing over a figure dressed in a long black trench coat. Allen frowned at the serene expression that masked the man's face as he looked at the thing that towered over him as if they happened to be the same size. More sphere-like monsters appeared about the man who didn't budge at the thought of being greatly outnumbered.

'How about giving us the innocence and we may let you go,' the towering monster crackled as it stood on two-legs with some sort of lizard-like body and a wicked looking spiked tail. Allen flinched at the way it spoke, it wasn't nice but the haunting echo that was soft under its breath made it even terrifying.

'Like hell, I'll do that,' the man retorted as he aimed something at the creature but Allen didn't see what it was when he felt someone approach from behind.

'Haven't I seen you somewhere before?' a voice mocked him from behind as Allen flinched and turned to see who it was. It seemed like the vendor he had stolen from had appeared out of nowhere and stood towering over him as he knelt on the corner.

But Allen felt that something was 'off' about him, he carried an air of murderous intent about him than when he had stolen the tray of muffins. Could a massive shift of personality happen after the sun came down? But before Allen could react, the vendor lunged and gripped the boy around his right arm before dragging him along.

'Let go you bastard,' Allen shouted as he tried to pry the fingers from his arm but was surprised at just how strong this man was.

'I spy a human,' a voice hissed as Allen looked up from under his hood to glimpse at the monstrous thing that had confronted the man. Allen felt the blood drain from his face as he stared into the golden eyes of a creature that was unknown to him.

'I said let go,' Allen cried out as he lashed out quickly before the vendor could react and got a clear blow at the vendor's stomach before jumping back several paces from the thing and landing on an overturned car. He felt the eyes of the man in the trench coat examining him as he flicked back the revolver he was holding and several bullet cases fell to the ground at his feet.

'Interesting,' was all the man said as the sphere-like monsters around him burst like smoke bombs. Allen gritted his teeth as he what the vendor cough and splatter before standing up still clutching his stomach. The lizard-like monster took a step towards him but still kept its eyes on the vendor at its feet as Allen prepared to dodge anything that came his way.

'It's just a human for heaven's sake,' the creature jeered as it lashed out at the vendor and sent him into a wall before putting one of its clawed hands on its hip. Allen felt puzzled at how human the creature was acting as he winced seeing it turn to him.

'We can't let the boy live, dispose of him,' the creature said as Allen felt the danger surrounding him and dived off the overturned car and behind a low wall. The large sphere-like monsters had surrounded him while he was preoccupied with the presence of the creature that had stood before him. Over the wall he heard several loud bangs as if someone was firing a gun and realized the man in the trench coat was still out there but Allen shook his head, he could clearly take care of himself and ducked as a purple light shot past him and marked the concrete with a small crater.

He felt that the bullets shouldn't hit him because the ammunition the creatures were firing didn't seem 'human'. Allen leapt back as another monstrous creature launched itself towards the low wall and broke it into pieces.

'Nimble little pest,' it cursed as it tried to land a hit on Allen, but the boy didn't want to be hit and narrowly dodged the large arm that swiped at him but as he jumped away a blast hurtled towards him and struck him in his right shoulder. Allen collapsed on the ground as he felt his body burn like he had thrown himself into a hot furnace. The pain was excruciating as he bit his lip to stop himself from screaming.

'That should finish him off, now get the general,' the creature said as the sphere-like monsters did as they were told and headed towards the man in the black trench coat. Allen lifted his head but felt his strength leave his body as his head dropped onto the ground with an agonising thud, despite the pain that rippled through his body, Allen didn't want to give up as he slow gathered the pieces of strength in his body and hulled himself to his feet.

'I'm not going down that easily,' Allen coughed as he felt a metallic taste fill his mouth, he wiped his mouth as the liquid slipped from the corner of his mouth and noticed the crimson colour of blood on his glove. The monster turned back around with utter surprise, it seemed like it was not expecting the boy to get up as Allen swayed unsteadily on his feet.

'The kid's still alive, but how?' the monster gapped as its eyes flicked down and settled on something besides Allen. The boy glanced down and saw his left hand glow from underneath the glove, he was stunned by what was happening as Allen pulled off the glove to reveal the red discolouration of his left arm, the crystal cross that was embedded into his hand glowed a brilliant green as he felt the pain within his body ease and disappear.

'He's an accommodator,' one of the monsters hissed as Allen blinked with confusion, his left arm had never reacted like this before as the glow died away leaving him paralysed with shock as the monsters approached him with great speed.

'Seems I'm going to save you after all,' the man wearing the trench coat grumbled with annoyance as he stepped in front of the boy suddenly. The man's sudden appearance made Allen stumble and fall back with surprise as the monsters were finally in striking distance.

Allen closed his eyes as a loud explosion ripped the air around him with great ferocity, the wind whistled in his ears as he covered his head with his arms and cowered on the ground. Moments later everything died down as Allen finally decided to open his eyes and saw the man place his revolver in its brace and fixed his long hair, which was a rich red colour compared to Allen's.

'A thank you would be nice,' the man said as Allen stared at him with frustration, he was confused and scared out of his life and this man could stand there with such a serene expression and think it was only a game. The man glanced at him waiting for him to say thank you but Allen tightened his lips and stood up so he could as far away from this person as he could then the man gripped his arm.

'Where do you think you're going?' the man asked as Allen tried to wriggle out of the man's grip.

'Somewhere that isn't here,' Allen retorted as he snapped his arm again but the man kept holding on, it was like his hand was made from a fist of iron.

'Since I saved your life, you'll be coming with me,' the man continued as if he hadn't heard Allen protest and began to pull the boy behind him as he made his way away from the area he had destroyed the monsters.

'I not going anywhere with you, now let go,' Allen cried out in anguish but the man just pulled him closer till his face was frightfully close to his ear.

'Do you want me to turn you into the police, you little thief,' the man seemed to be threatening him as Allen froze, he had seen that, but he never saw the man in the crowd while he was running from the police. The man seemed slightly satisfied as he continued to drag Allen behind him while Allen pulled the hood over his face and fumed in silence.

….

**Hi again, if you've read this than that you… it's been on my hard-drive for a whole year I just randomly found it while sorting through most of the crap…**

**If you like this then please leave a comment and I'll post the next chapter soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

The man led him into a rather luxurious-looking hotel, which made him feel very uneasy and by now the man had let him go as long as he didn't make a run for it though. Allen pulled his hood from his head as the man led him to the reception desk where a woman wearing a well-pressed suit and a suitable level of make-up greeted them.

'Welcome, we don't usually expect patrons at this late hour,' the woman said as the man leaned on the desk casually.

'I was told that I have a reservation here,' the man asked as Allen noticed that the woman's eyes glinted with surprise.

'Yes, you must be the person who was booked here, is this boy with you, you're room is only suitable for one,' the woman glanced at Allen curiously as the man waved his hand as if it wasn't necessary.

'It'll be fine,' he said as Allen wondered nervously about that. The man took the keys from the woman and headed towards the elevator, he pressed the button before glancing back. Allen didn't make a move to follow him as he still stood in front of the reception desk with a spaced out look in his eye.

'Oi, you coming or what,' the man asked roughly as Allen blinked and looked at the man as the elevator door opened and hurried after him just as the doors began to close. Allen watched the man press a button with the number 15 on it and the elevator began to take them up. The man glanced at Allen who looked away at the tortoiseshell glazed walls of the elevator, he didn't even want to look at the person standing less than a metre away from him as a soft humming came from outside as the elevator continued it's ascent.

'What were those things back there?' Allen asked in a low voice as the man flicked only his eyes to stare at the boy beside him.

'What?'

'You know what I mean, those monstrous things that attacked you,' Allen shouted with frustration, turning to him as the man placed his hand over his ear with annoyance.

'I heard you the first time, those things are known as akuma,' the man grumbled as he turned to face Allen with a steady glare. Allen flinched at the response as he contemplated what the man was going on about. It was like listening to a raving old man honk his horn and Allen cringed at the thought that the man could be lying to him.

'Akuma, you mean like demons?' Allen said as he leaned back against the wall of the elevator, the man seemed to nod as the elevator shifted to a halt and the doors opened with a loud ding. The man stepped out without a word as he headed off down the corridor, Allen followed reluctantly behind as they stopped in front of a door with the numbers 212 on a metal plate. The man pulled out the keys from his pocket and opened the door, Allen hung behind him, not really wanting to head inside but the man roughly shoved him into the hotel room and locked the door behind him.

'Akuma are actual machines used to destroy humanity and life as we know it,' the man explained as he walked over the kitchen window where something was hovering outside.

As he opened the window, something that looked like a small golden bird shot into the room like it was shot out of a cannon and slammed right into Allen. Allen held his head as he glanced up to see a strange creature with a wide-toothed grin.

'His name's Timcampy, he's my golem,' the man explained as he grabbed a wine glass and a bottle of wine off the wine rack before pulling himself a chair and seating down. Allen frowned at the golem than at the man who was making himself comfortable, pouring himself a glass of red wine. The golem circled around him and settled on top of his head.

'Hey,' Allen began to scowl it.

'It's rare for Tim to trust anyone but me,' the man spoke up after taking a sip from the wine glass as he looked up from the top of his rectangular glass. Allen placed his left hand on the golem and pulled it off his head to get a better look at it, its golden wings flapped excitingly as it grinned again.

'It is also rare for anyone to find a parasitic type accommodator that has had part of his body taken over by innocence,' Allen went rigid as the man seem to make an unsettling connection between two rare things, as he began to playfully stretch the golem's small sphere-like body.

'Innocence, what is that?' Allen frowned at the man who helped himself to another glass of wine. He had a bad feeling from the start about the man that had saved him as the golem wriggled out of his grip and sailed over to the man settling on his head instead. The man paid no mind to it as he pulled his revolver from his pouch on his hip.

'Innocence is the substance that this gun is made from, it is also the substance that is embedded into your left hand, and you are an accommodator of the innocence. A disciple of God whose destiny is to fight and defeat the dark forces that threaten humanity,' the man explained as he stood up from the chair and walked towards the boy as Allen recoiled as the sudden closeness the man had come to him made him uneasy. But he looked down as his shoulders shuddered with the frustration he felt boil within him, it was, if not the same God issue that the woman had spouted to him before he had left her apartment.

'What's this load of crap your spouting, how can I believe a single word you said?' Allen said through clenched teeth as he stepped away from the man, the man looked at him as if he was dealing with a stubborn child as he towered over the boy with a determined look in his eye.

'You survived the blood virus of an akuma because of your innocence, unlike the parasitic types I've worked with they had to deactivate their weapons to heal themselves,' Allen never felt so terrified of someone before as he stumbled back, the man was serious, which was a nuisance to him but the man had spoken the truth to the extent of what the boy could fathom.

'So what,' Allen retorted as he recovered his composure and stood against a stranger he barely knew. The man relaxed slightly as he turned and walked back to the chair and poured himself yet another glass of wine before turning back to the boy.

'You'll come with me to the school I work for, where you'll become an exorcist and fight the akuma you had seen before,' the man explained as Allen began to protest.

'Like hell, I'm not going anywhere with you,' Allen shouted but the man roughly shoved him back and he tripped over onto the veranda of the apartment. The man stood at the door as if expecting him to make a run for the door.

'Please consider changing your answer or I'll have to drag you there myself,' the man said menacingly before closing and locking the slid door behind him. Allen watched him close the curtain and left him alone on the veranda with the cold air and darkness.

'Not like you'll hear me complain,' Allen whispered bitterly as he hugged his knees against the bitter cold, being this high up meant that the atmosphere was colder and windy. Allen pulled his hood back over his head as he wondered about what had been said to him before, the way the man had piled on so much information onto him was stifling and he had to understand everything and become an exorcist.

His dread was only the tip of the iceberg as Allen gritted his teeth angrily at the thought of having his life chosen for him, especially by the one thing he detested most about this world; God.

….

For some reason, when he aroused from his sleep, he felt pleasantly warm and cosy. Allen opened his eyes to find that he was lying on the couch within the apartment with a blanket chucked over him. The boy sat up and looked around the room, he was definitely in the apartment as a cloud of confusion washed over him like waves do on a beach. He remembered falling asleep on the floor of the veranda where the man that he had encountered and reluctantly followed back to the hotel had locked him outside.

'You're up,' a voice spoke from behind him, Allen looked up to see that the man was up but wasn't wearing his trench coat and was wearing a white dress shirt and a vest, though one thing hadn't changed, he was still holding a glass of wine but this time it was a clear yellow instead of the rich deep red.

'I see you've been drinking all night,' Allen muttered but the man struck him on the back of the head with his hand, it didn't seem like he had not liked the comment Allen made as he strolled over to one of the lounge chairs. Allen rubbed the back of his head that throbbed with pain.

'Have you considered what I said last night?' the man asked as Allen hesitated, he really wasn't keen on becoming an exorcist or travelling to a school with him leading the way. The man noticed the boy's silence as he sipped his wine thoughtfully and leaned back casually in his chair.

'You do want to know how to defend yourself against akuma?' the man insisted as Allen looked up, it would be nice to not rely on others to help him but he still didn't like the idea of fighting akuma, those strange beings were in his dream last night along with the usual shadow of a woman whose haunting voice could still be heard, ringing in his ears and it wasn't really pleasant to have on his mind right now.

'What's in it for me if I do agree?' Allen asked cautiously as the man placed his glass on the coffee table and stood up, the bird-like golem flew over to him and landed on the man's shoulder and stared at Allen with its wide grin from last night.

'You'll have a chance to have an education and there are exorcists your age there, also you must wear the uniform given to you at all times even when you are off duty,' the man explained as Allen looked away, there didn't seem to be anything beneficial to him about it at all but then he looked back at the man standing before him.

'What does this uniform look like?' Allen asked hesitantly as a knock on the door interrupted the man's reply. The man seemed to smile smugly as he took off his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt before walking over to the door.

Allen watched curiously from over the back of the couch as the man opened the door, there was another man standing outside, slightly smaller than him wearing a strange white blazer and holding a white package that looked as if it came from a bakery.

'I came with the uniform you asked for, General,' the man said as he was let in. Allen frowned at the man as their eyes met, the man seemed quite surprised about the boy more so than Allen being unsure about him.

'This is the new student, General?' the man said as he took a closer look at Allen, the boy recoiled at the man's response, it sounded as if he had already agreed to go and become an exorcist. The man laughed at the boy's disagreeable expression and offered his hand to Allen in greeting.

'It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Toma,' Allen looked at the hand of the man who had just walked into the apartment with hesitation but shook his outstretched hand as to not offend the person who had made an effort to greet him in a friendly manner, compared to some people, Allen thought darkly as he eyed the man with the golden golem on his shoulder.

'Allen Walker,' Allen replied strongly as he noticed the man staring at his left hand, which he had used to shake Toma's hand, with disbelief before looking towards the man he had called General. Allen slipped his hand away and shoved it into his pocket, out of sight and away from any further questions from the man in the white blazer.

'My overview was that you found a parasitic accommodator, I didn't expect this,' Toma said to the man standing behind them with his eyebrows raised in surprise, the man sudden gave an impatient nod and Toma dropped the package in Allen's lap. Allen shook the package briefly as the boy stared up at the adults in front of him in confusion.

'What is this?' Allen asked with disapproval as he examined the outside of the package as the man walked back over to his chair. Timcampy fluttered off his shoulder and landed on the package Allen was given, it seemed intent on ripping the package apart as it began to nibble the edges.

Allen shoed the golem away and began to open the package, inside was a whole new set of clothes. The clothes were of a dark grey with red trimming, on the blazer, the emblem of the school was clearly embroidered onto the left side of the chest. Allen frowned at the blazer as he lifted it from the package and wondered if such a uniform could actually exist.

'It's your uniform, it may be a bit big but it is hard to measure someone while they are sleeping,' the man sighed sarcastically as Allen paused as he realised that it was the main reason he had been brought inside and in the end, stayed inside.

'You sly old codger,' Allen cursed at him, looking up from the blazer to look at him with distrust as the man raised his eyebrows at the boy's reaction to him as he stood up. The golem that had been hovering above Allen's head flew off to settle on the man's head.

'We'll be leaving as soon as you get changed into the uniform, and from here on I'll be your personal tutor until you catch up on the curriculum of the school,' the man explained as Allen stood up, he was clearly fuming by the way he crumpled the blazer in his hands. He would have begun to tear it apart though the fabric seemed to be surprisingly sturdy for a uniform.

'I never agreed to anything,' Allen protested aloud as Toma excused himself and headed outside into the corridor to wait for them. The man stared at him as if he was sick and tired of having this discussion again.

'Unfortunately, you were the one chosen by God, you can never change that,' the man reminisced as Allen flinched under the particular word he had used as the man went to follow Toma.

'And for your information, my name is Cross Marion not sly old codger,' Cross seemed to retort as he slammed the door behind him, leaving Allen to stand alone in the apartment with the blazer in his hand and the package beside him. He couldn't help but through the blazer on the couch and grip his hands on a nearby picture frame and hurdled it towards the door with all his strength.

The picture frame exploded in a shower of glass and splintered bits of ply wood as it clattered on the floor, the picture fell with the wrecked picture frame as Allen looked at it as he panted heavily, he still wasn't in favour of this as he glanced at the blazer sitting beside him on the couch.

He really didn't want to give in to the people he barely knew, standing outside waiting for him to follow them quietly and obediently. Allen smirked as if he had just solved something that put his mind at ease.

'I can get away with that.'

….

**Thank you for your reviews, I'm quite happy and relieved that you like this so please continued your reviews and I'll continued updating!**


	3. Chapter 3

Allen knocked on the door reluctantly as Cross opened it, he seemed slightly relieved to find out the boy had gotten dressed in the uniform and was standing before him with his bag slung over his shoulder but then Cross sighed heavily with amusement.

'I'm fine with the jumper as long as it remains underneath the blazer, and tie your hair back,' Cross said as he placed a hair tie in Allen's hand, Allen frowned as he pulled his hair up in a small ponytail, leaving his fringe to hang loosely over his forehead. Toma approached them and greeted them with a small bow.

'The car has arrived, we should depart as soon as possible,' he informed them as Cross mumbled something under his breath, Allen seemed mildly interested when he picked up the words of 'hate' and 'school' but didn't say anything as Cross led the way towards the elevator at the end of the corridor.

They waited for the elevator to arrive and enter the confined space in silence; Allen sighed as he leaned against the wall and watched the number illuminating above the door decrease as the elevator slowly reached the ground floor. Timcampy, the golden golem that was perched on Cross' shoulder turned and jumped onto his own, Allen eyed the golem suspiciously as it glared at him and produced its wide-tooth grin.

Allen looked away with annoyance and Toma chuckled softly to himself. Soon they reached the ground floor where many people were bustling around in the foyer of the hotel as they made their way to the front desk. The woman from last night was still behind the desk with a happy smile as Cross returned the keys to her.

'Thank you for staying, I hope you enjoyed your stay,' she said to them, which made Allen wonder mildly how many times a day she was made to say that because she sounded like a broken record.

'Allen, quit daydreaming,' Cross called angrily at the door as Allen shook his head to discourage anymore trivial thoughts from distracting him and followed Toma and Cross to the waiting car out the front of the hotel. In front of the car another man dressed in a white blazer greeted them and opened the car door for them to get in. Allen was lucky enough to get the car window as Toma sat between him and Cross; he winded down the window and squinted as the air blasted onto his face as the car pulled out into the city traffic.

Allen sunk down in his seat as he watched the crowds of people they past as they seemed to be heading out of town, unfortunately he couldn't shake the strange feeling of being watched, which was pretty hard not to ignore since people were free to look at anything they wanted to. But this felt different; it was like whoever was watching them was specifically for them.

….

It took about an hour or so to get onto the freeway as they headed away from the city. Allen was forced to wind up the window because of Cross and had put up a heated argument against him but in the end it also got on the nerves of the driver who manually winded up the window himself.

'So where is this school?' Allen decided to ask since it seemed like they were going to be in the car for a while. Cross glanced at him briefly before returning his attention to the sights outside, Allen was pissed off at being ignored by him and looked outside at the large beams that towered over them until they travelled into an underpass.

'To the countryside, the church, which owns the school, owns a great deal of land there and a few manors too,' Allen lifted his head in surprise as he realised that Cross had bothered to answer his question after all. The darkness of the tunnel was broke by long rods of light that blurred above their heads as Allen folded his arms and sank further down in the seat.

'You should sit up, Sir Allen,' Toma advised as Allen raised his eyebrows at the title the man had given him but made no attempt to do as Toma had asked him to.

'Huh?'

'It's what us finders call exorcists, I find it quite relieving that we had managed to find another disciple of God,' Toma explained excitedly to the boy's confusion as Allen nodded slowly but inside cringed at the last few words the man had said. The term exorcist was still being processed in his mind and all he wanted was to get out of the car and go his own separate way but he knew that Cross was not going to let him do it so easily.

Allen returned his focus back outside the window as the car finally came out the other end of the tunnel; the bright sun was unexpected, as he felt blinded by the sunlight that had erupted on his side of the car.

'So how far is it?' Allen wondered with a sigh as the car moved into the right lane to exit from the freeway.

'A few days,' Toma replied casually as Allen groaned with annoyance, he was stuck with Cross for another few days and that also meant they were nowhere near their destination. He still didn't like the concept of going to a school; he had never been to one before in his life and this could be very interesting that he dreaded it.

'You'll like the school, the town near there provides a controlled environment for young exorcists to hone their skills,' Cross seemed to add without warning as Allen rolled his eyes at him and continued to look out the window. The day progressed smoothly as the driver pulled over at a gas station to refuel the car.

Allen stepped out of the car and stretched his arms above his head, he couldn't wait to walk around as he tapped his shoes on the concrete and made a quick dash towards the store before Toma or Cross could say otherwise.

Inside, the air-conditioner was on as Allen walked through the automatic doors. It was a pleasant change from the warm stale air of the car because he wasn't allowed to keep a window down to makes the drive bearable. The store clerk stood behind the register, eyeing him curiously, Allen thought that the man might be wondering what a school kid was doing in his store during the weekday when normal school kids would be at school.

Allen made one quick glance at the clerk and walked over to the stand were there was a bunch of fruit piled up high, they looked as if they hadn't been touched for days as Allen picked up an apple and wiped a thin layer of dust from the skin. He turned it over and found a mark that determined that the fruit wasn't real; Allen shook his head confusedly as he placed the apple back on top of the pile and moved into the other isle.

While Allen was scanning the shelves, the automatic doors slid open as Allen glanced up and saw Toma looking at him, he seemed to have been worried about something but it quickly was replaced with a sigh of relief.

'Don't wonder off like that, we're leaving sooner than expected,' Toma stammered as Allen blinked at him, the urgency in his voice was stifling but he shrugged and pulled a packet of lollies from the shelf.

'Right, as soon as I buy this though,' Allen said as he walked up to the counter and placed the pack and money on the counter. The store clerk shifted his head and scanned the pack of lollies like a machine would do and slowly counted the money before opening the register and handing over the change.

Allen felt puzzled as he watched the man do it, he could feel that something was wrong but couldn't put his finger on it. He had a bad feeling about it and quickly grabbed the pack of lollies and followed Toma out of the store.

'Something was strange about that clerk,' Allen mumbled to Toma as they reached the car where Cross and the driver were talking quietly amongst themselves, they looked up as Toma and Allen approached them. They quickly nodded and the driver opened the door for them to get in.

'Why are we leaving so soon?' Allen asked out of curiosity as Toma winced as he hesitated to reply, Allen could sense the unease in the man sitting beside him as the car pulled out of the service station and back onto the freeway.

'The place was dead, we were the only ones there,' Toma explained to him as Allen nodded slowly as he just realised what the finder had said to him. It had been extremely quiet over there, as he expected that a service station, particularly one near a freeway to have regular visitors but it seemed like they were the only ones.

'What do you think was wrong?' Cross asked Allen as he looked past Toma, Allen looked up from the pack of lollies he had bought and shrugged as if he didn't really care about his question.

'Who knows?' Allen grumbled as he opened the pack of lollies and popped one in his mouth and offered the finder some and Toma grabbed a handful from the pack with a small 'thank you'.

Cross didn't look pleased with the answer Allen had given him but remained silent as the car continued to drive along the freeway.

….

The car was driven down the freeway for several more hours till the driver diverged off on an exit and they seemed to pull up at a road-side motel. It was getting dark outside as the sun began to sink down towards the horizon as Allen sat up as he stared at the motel with mild surprise; this was a far cry from the luxurious comforts of a five-star hotel.

The driver parked the car near the entrance as Cross and Toma got out of the car on one side and Allen kicked open the door much to the protest of the driver and jumped out and stretched his cramped up body.

'I hate long car drives,' Allen complained as he walked up to Cross and Toma as they waited outside the front door till someone answered their knocking. Cross glanced at him as Timcampy came to rest on Allen's head much to the boy's disapproval.

'Get used to it, we have another long drive to the train station and a two day ride from there,' Cross stated to him as Allen groaned aloud as finally someone answered them. It appeared as the hotel owner had just gotten out of the shower as he secured his robe around his body and his hair was pasted against his head.

'Good evening gentlemen, how can I help you?' he asked them as he let them inside; Allen glanced around the fairly small foyer and noticed the mountains of brochures all stuffed into the stand beside the counter.

He went over and leafed through the papers and was startled to find how out of date many of the brochures were. Allen eyed the man looking at Cross eagerly and slipped the one of the brochures into his pocket.

'We're looking for two rooms to stay the night, are they available?' Toma asked the man as the man glanced at the four of them and nodded, fiddling around on the desk with some papers before handing over two keys.

'Rooms five and six are free please enjoy your stay,' the man said cheerfully as he headed off to the back room, which Allen presumed were his living quarters as Cross then handed Toma one of the keys.

'You and Allen will stay in room five, the driver and I will sleep in room six,' Cross explained as Allen felt the urge to protest but couldn't put the words to it and gave up and he glanced up at the golem that had fallen asleep in his hair. It was annoying to be the centre of attention as he followed Toma down the corridors. Finding the room they were to be sleeping in wasn't as easy as they thought as they found room five sitting between rooms seven and twelve.

'How's that possible?' Allen quizzed in confusion as Toma nodded in a frustrated agreement, the finder didn't seem to be enjoying it as much as Allen was. Toma turned to the key in the lock and opened the door as they both entered to small room with only two beds and an even smaller bathroom. Allen took a glance in the bathroom and cringed at the sight of mould and debris that scattered the walls and tiled floor.

'I wouldn't even call this a one-star motel,' Allen shivered as he closed the door, Toma didn't say anything as he sat on the bed. Allen came over and sat on the other bed as he pulled the brochure from his pocket and handed it over to the finder who glanced at it briefly; he seemed to be wondering why Allen had given him it before Toma frowned in concentration.

'This isn't good,' Toma said as Allen nodded.

'I've had a bad feeling ever since we set foot in this motel, this place should be visited by health safe workers,' Allen commented as he finally spoke of the dread that was hanging over his mind either that or it was the golem that weighed his head down. Toma seemed to be in deep thought, placing the brochure on the table as Allen lay down on top of the bed covers; he wasn't risking anything by doing otherwise.

'Good night, exorcist,' Toma said as he lay down on his bed, Allen turned over as he dreaded the words the finder said. He didn't see himself as an exorcist and he didn't want to be one but then he didn't want to even be thinking about that as he slowly closed his eyes.

….

_The fog hung around like a draping of light grey cloth. Nothing could be seen beyond the ghostly folds but a horrible smell of death and decay stained the air with its potent fragrance. He didn't like it, as he stood there, it was hard to breath and the silence was as deafening as a loud explosion. He could feel his feet sink into something that felt like mud but he wasn't too sure that it was mud. A shadowy appearance of a woman began to drift in and out of the fog that surrounded him as a sweet voice began to softly whisper to him. The words to hush to make out gave him a soothing dread that made it impossible to call out to whoever it was that was there. Despite the small pleasure sound the voice gave; it was filled with haunt and despair as he clasped his hands over his ears. He didn't want to hear anymore._

….

Allen bolted up in shock as he gripped his shoulders with dread. He was breathing heavily as he tried to calm the violent thumping in his heart. It didn't help with Timcampy's dark shaped body floating above his head almost like a giant bug as Allen angrily grabbed it and placed it on the bedside table.

'Is something wrong Sir Allen?' Toma asked as he aroused from his sleep on the bed besides him. Allen nodded slightly as he wiped his forehead with his sleeve, he didn't want to tell Toma about what he had seen in his dreams.

'Nothing, what time is it?' Allen asked as he changed the subject quickly as Toma pulled his sleeve up and glanced at the glowing face of a watch strapped to his wrist.

'Just after three,' Toma replied as Allen nodded silently and got out of bed and stretched before heading towards the door. The finder quickly got up to follow him.

'I'll come with you,' the finder said as Allen reached the door, Allen couldn't be bothered arguing with the finder since he still felt tired and opened the door to an equally dark corridor.

It was surprising at how quiet and creepy a motel could get after the lights go out as Allen made his way up the corridor, he could here Toma's footsteps behind him as they made their way out into the foyer. Toma stepped past him as he checked the door; the reluctant rattle that Toma made as he tried to open the door meant that the owner had locked the front door.

'It looks as if we're locked in, how annoying?' Allen muttered to himself as he had hoped he could have a small walk around the block to shake off the dread he could still feel in his chest after he had woken up from the dream he had had, even if the finder followed him.

Toma turned to him as if he wondered why they were locked in before he stepped back and slammed his back into the wall. Allen was surprised by his sudden reaction and, for a moment, thought it was to do with him before Toma began to point at something wildly behind the boy.

Allen froze as he finally realised why he was still feeling the dread as he turned around and saw the sphere-like akuma tower over him. One of the cannons that spouted out of its body was pointed directly at his face but for some strange he didn't feel as threatened as he had the first time he had come face to face with these creatures. Suddenly a loud bang echoed and the akuma exploded in front of him bringing forth a large cloud of gases that made Allen cough.

'Hurry idiot and smash open that door, we need to get out of here before others show up,' he heard Cross shout at him as Allen didn't hesitate and turned around and smashed the door open with one swift kick. They stumbled out of the gas as Allen noticed Cross and the driver coming out after him and Toma.

'Damn those insensitive pests,' Cross cursed as they rushed to the car and jumped in, Allen had unfortunately found himself in the middle of the back seat as they sped off out of the car park and into the street. Everyone was wheezing around him as Allen blinked in confusion but Cross noticed it as he put his revolver back into its pouch.

'The gas of an akuma corpse doesn't affect you because of the innocence in your body,' Cross explained; as all the windows were wind down to allow a sufficient amount of clean air throughout the car. Allen sank in his seat; he didn't want to hear anymore of the man's lectures till the sun was actually up and shining.

The wind whipping around the car was quiet deafening as Allen felt himself fall asleep again.

….

Someone was shaking him as Allen muffled in protest at being woken up again, he didn't mind sleeping for a few more minutes. But that was before that someone decided to slap him across the face.

'Hey,' Allen yelled as he lashed out at whoever had done that, it wasn't to his surprise to know that Cross had done it as he rubbed his cheek with frustration. Cross didn't seem to be phased about his actions as he stood by the open door of the car waiting for Allen to get out. Behind him, Allen noticed a broad building where several people were going in and out of as the sounds of a train blasting its horn echoed from the building.

'That's the train station?' Allen murmured as he got out of the car and slung his bag over his shoulder as Toma nodded with a smile, he seemed quite relieved to have gotten here.

'Because of our early start today, we cut our trip down by about a day,' he said with a queasy laugh, Allen grumbled he didn't find anything funny about being attacked by an akuma while still half asleep. Cross said nothing as he collected his briefcase from the back of the car and farewelled the driver who drove away from the station.

'Our train should leave in about 45 minutes,' Toma noted as he glanced at his watch and at the big old looking clock that was placed above the station like a big clock tower. Allen frowned at it and sighed, it was almost lunchtime.

'Lunchtime already, we're going to eat something right?' Allen asked as he ruffled his hair that he realised he had forgotten to put up and quickly fished out his hair tie he had shoved into his pocket. Toma and Cross glanced at each and chuckled between themselves as if they had found something funny.

Allen stared at them in angry confusion as Timcampy floated over and landed on his shoulder, it was grinning quite gleefully for his liking.

'We were wondering when you're going to mention that, you were out for quite a while,' Toma amused as Cross smiled smugly in agreement.

'It was quite cute watching you sleep on my shoulder,' Cross added as Allen blushed with embarrassment and boiled with rage inside, if he could he would have punched Cross but he restrained himself from doing so.

'Shut up' Allen shouted at them as the adults walked into the station laughing at his seemingly pointless tantrum. Allen glanced at the golem on his shoulder, it was still grinning as Allen gripped the corners of its mouth and stretched its body out with utter annoyance.

'Enough from you,' Allen whispered to it as he followed the men reluctantly as they entered the train station. The train station looked as if it had come from a nineteenth century film as Allen gazed around in bewilderment.

'Stop gawking and hurry up,' Cross shouted from the stairwell as Allen ran up to him and they headed to the other side of the station where the platform that their train would arrive from was. The finder strolled up to the edge of the platform and gazed down along the tracks as if to see whether the train was in sight yet.

'It shouldn't be too long,' Toma advised them as he walked back to them and sat besides them. Allen didn't say anything, as he still felt embarrassed about what had happened in the car before. He kept tight-lipped about it and glanced at the arch like ceiling with iron pillars and ornamented archways.

The opaque white glass had rusted streaks running through them just like rain would form stains after a dreary weather would do. The place made him bored because all he could do was sit there and stare about him and talk to the men beside him, which he was reluctant to do.

But then something began to bug him, it was that awful dreaded feeling he had felt several times before and every time he had it, akuma had to show up and wreak havoc. Allen glanced at Toma who was fiddling with a deck of cars and Cross leaning back lazily on the bench, they didn't seem to be having any trouble sitting there with nothing to do.

'Do you mind if I buy something to eat?' Allen asked as he noticed a food stand on the other side of the rail tracks.

'So long as you don't steal anything,' Cross replied as he fidgeted with his pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and popped one in his mouth. Allen frowned, not sure as to take offence from Cross's distrust and stood up and made his way back over to the stairwell. He made his way across the bridge and down the flight of stairs on the other side while he counted the money he had in his possession as he looked up at the price board beside the food stall.

Allen was disappointed that he lacked only a few dollars from a decent meal before a man past him and went up and bought a hot dog from the stall owner. Allen stepped forward, leaving a small gap between him and the man and as the man turned around with his hot dog in his chubby fingers, the man bumped into him.

'I'm sorry I didn't see you there,' the man apologized as Allen shook his head and smiled genuinely.

'No it was my fault I was getting a better look at the board,' Allen replied as they both had a casual laugh and the man went his own way to a platform further down from them. Allen smirked darkly as he rolled the few dollars he had collected from the man's pocket.

Luckily the stall owner didn't notice as he greeted Allen politely just like he had done with the man Allen had stolen from. Allen bought a roll and made his way back across the bridge before he paused suddenly and looked behind him cautiously. For some reason the dreaded feeling was bothering him again before it went away just as suddenly, Allen shrugged in confusion and finished crossing the bridge where Cross eyed him suspiciously but said nothing.

….

The train finally arrived and they got on board and found their place in a reasonably private quarter. Allen gave a quick glance around the place before dumping himself beside the window and glanced outside just as the train left the cover of the station. Cross sat across from him as Toma took it out of his way to stand beside the closed door; silence gripped the group as Allen watched the golden trees slowly drop their leaves to the yellow covered ground at their roots.

It was a lovely scene to pass while on a long train trip with two people who expected him to become something he didn't want to become; an exorcist. Suddenly a ringing sound echoed and Allen watched as Toma fumbled around his pockets for some sort of wireless device that he clipped to his ear before exiting the quarter.

Allen drew his gaze away from the door and caught eyes with Cross.

'What, are you curious?' Cross asked as he shrugged his shoulders, Allen shook his head quickly and turned his attention back at the door as Toma came back through it, he looked slightly happy about something.

'Lady Limina will be joining us soon, her mission to gather innocence from a fishing port was a success,' Toma announced, Allen noticed Cross looked impressed as he took his glasses off and cleaned them.

'Good to hear,' he said as Allen rolled his eyes and watched the scenery blur past them in shades of gold, green and red. He couldn't help but be curious about what was going on and who this 'Limina' was.

….

Several hours past as they sun began to set outside giving a spectacular show of colour in the darkening sky, it was a relief to be watching that instead of hearing Cross's purposeful snoring he was doing as he tried to catch up on some sleep he had clearly missed out on.

'Can you be quiet?' Allen shouted at him as Cross stopped snoring and glanced at the irritated boy with mild amusement. He seemed have gotten what he was looking for; a reaction, Toma laughed uneasily as he was bracing himself for them to get into some sort of quarrel.

'Well unlike you I couldn't get enough sleep as you did,' Cross murmured smartly as he smirked as Allen blushed and looked away, he couldn't help but let what the man was saying get to his head.

'Sleep without making such a fuss about it,' Allen spat back as the train pulled into another station, Toma took one careful glance at the two of them and left the quarter again as Allen stared after him with bemusement.

'Where's he going?' Allen asked bluntly as Cross glanced outside and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

'It seems like we've already reached her station,' Cross stated as the train pulled out of the station, Allen frowned at him.

'Who is that again?'

The door to their quarter's opened as Toma stepped through followed by a small girl not even the age of seven in a similar uniform to what he was wearing except she was wearing a longish skirt and flat red school shoes with black socks pulled all the way up to her knees. She carried a suitcase half her size and a book in the other. A large bandaid covered her cheek that could barely be seen from under her long blonde locks that fell over her face and shoulders as her dark eyes made Allen shudder.

'Allen this is Limina she is my other student,' Cross introduced him to the little girl who glanced at Allen up and down and then looked at Cross with uncertainty.

'He seems very unreliable,' she replied dryly as Allen lunged forward in an attempt to strangle her but Cross stood up and restrained him.

'Calm down,' he said sternly as Allen tried to wriggle out of his grip to get at her but like before the man's grip was like steel.

'That little brat,' Allen cursed at her but she didn't seemed phased by his threatening gesture or size for that matter as she took a seat beside Cross' spot and opened a book she had in her hands. Toma looked slightly worried as he closed the door behind them and came to assist Cross in restraining him and getting him to sit back down on the seat where Toma sat beside him to make sure he didn't do anything else.

Allen gave up eventually, crossing his arms over his chest and gazed out the window where all he could see was their reflection, however, just staring at the window reflecting the whole entire quarter including Limina who sat casually beside Cross reading her book irritated him more.

'I heard the mission was a success,' Cross said to the small girl who glanced up from her book, she didn't seem pleased to have been asked anything that would deter her from the book.

'Yes, yes it was,' she agreed as she returned to reading the book, Allen pulled his hood over his head in an attempt to block out the pairs conversation as Cross continued.

'Limina this is Allen Walker, he will be attending the school as our newest student and exorcist,' Cross said leaning against the window as Limina sighed and closed her book after marking her page.

'Good to hear,' She said again as Allen began to grind his teeth in fury, he still hadn't agreed with becoming an exorcist yet but he didn't say anything because he wanted to block them out badly. He leaned his head on the window letting his shadow block out the light enabling him to see at least something from outside the train before the train entered a tunnel.

The gentle rocking of the train as it ran over the tracks was quite soothing after he had managed to block out the conversation happening across from him, even though from time to time he managed to get snippets of it when he wasn't careful.

….

**Well, I've introduced you to the first OC, Limina I enjoy her somewhat mostly because of her mature attitude for her age.**

**Anyway please REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

'Sir Allen, are you awake?' Allen heard someone ask him as Allen aroused from his restless sleep again, he had a feeling he had been dreaming again but at least he couldn't remember what it was. He glanced up at the person who had shaken him and noticed Toma standing over him.

'I'm sorry if you were, it was just the murmuring you were making made it seem like you were talking to yourself,' Toma said with a grin as Allen glanced away in embarrassment, did the finder have to mention anything else that would cause him discomfort.

'Doesn't matter,' Allen said quickly before the finder could ask what he had been murmuring about purposefully forgetting to mention that he had been sleeping.

Cross and Limina were still sleeping across from him as Allen glanced out the window, it seemed like it was going to be another long day on the train with the pair of them, both as arrogant and stubborn as himself.

He stood up and stretched as he walked to the door of their quarters.

'Where are you going?' Toma asked as he got up to follow Allen but Allen frowned at him.

'It's a train, I can't wonder anywhere but up and down,' Allen retorted to the weary finder, it seemed like Toma expected him to try to escape from the train as he opened the door and left the quarters.

The train was quiet as he presumed that everyone was still sleeping but then Allen changed his mind to almost everyone as one of the staff wondered into the carriage from the end of the train and began to walk up towards the front.

Allen stared at him cautiously; he was getting a bad feeling as he began to walk towards the man and past him with a strange air of malice that he felt emanate from the man. Allen forced himself to continue walking on until he heard the man exit into the next carriage; he had felt that strange aura before back when the vendor had a grip on him in the city.

Allen stopped and glanced back, could that man possibly be an akuma but he shook his head feeling foolish of thinking of such a thing; he had to be imagining things as he walked onto the next carriage. The next carriage was full of small booths enough to fit at least six people; the carriage was less grand than the private quarter given to them with the bag holders hovering just inches above his head.

Allen glanced at the people who were all rugged up and sleeping as comfortable as they could in their seats, Allen took one last glance around to find something interesting to look at and exited further down the train.

The next carriage came as a surprise as he stared into the cargo hold of the train; he hadn't realized how close they were to the place where all the luggage and large items were being held as he slowly stepped into the carriage.

At least it was an interesting change from the red and blue interior of the passenger carriages as Allen stared at the crates and boxes that must be carrying something and felt curious as to what that was.

A sound of someone entering the cargo hold caught his attention as he whipped around to find that no one was there, Allen frowned a he got a very bad feeling about the atmosphere that now surrounded him and exited further down into the next carriage where the passengers with less money spent their travels as Allen glanced around.

It was similar to the interior of the high priced carriages but with less grand and colour as he wondered up he noticed that most of the people here weren't sleeping. This made him edgy as he quickly exited the carriage and arrived at the end of the train where he saw a clear view of the horizon and the sun finally rising from the other side of the world.

Allen pulled his hood over his head as he fought the bitter cold he could feel standing there being battered by the passing winds and sudden jolts of the train as it continued to travel along the tracks.

The train was now crossing through a place with large paddocks cropped with golden wheat and barley and whatever else he saw there, as he finally was satisfied at finding something that was interesting to look at.

'Good morning sir,' a voice called from above the winds as Allen turned to look at the person who had come outside, Allen flinched as he noticed that it was the staff member he had passed in the carriage. He had a bad feeling as he stared at the man standing before him with caution as the man approached him.

'Morning,' Allen greeted him as he took a step to the side, he at least wanted to keep some sort of distance between him and the man if the man decided to do something odd or dangerous. The man seemed to notice the hostility Allen was giving him and laughed aloud, Allen frowned at him, and it wasn't a nice laugh to hear as the man tried to step closer.

'What's wrong? Are you scared exorcist?' The man taunted him as Allen recoiled at what the man said, how did he know who Allen was supposed to become and dreaded even to think of the word. The man's body seemed to quiver as he launched a morphed clawed- hand at Allen.

Allen stepped back in shock and slipped, the man missing his head by a close shave. Allen watched as half the railing was ripped away and thrown onto the tracks behind them, the man then finally morphed into its akuma form, which reminded Allen of a scorpion. The akuma vice-gripped Allen around the waist and lifted him over the tracks as Allen struggled desperately.

'That was too easy, a very weak exorcist is always a pleasure to kill,' the akuma laughed in his face as Allen cringed with rage at being called weak.

'Who's calling anyone weak?' Allen shouted as he rebelled against the akuma's grip and smashed his foot into the side of its grotesque face. The akuma wielded back in pain as Allen managed to grip the railing as he fell from the akuma's grip and the akuma lashed out at him with its tail and knock him strongly against the head.

Allen winced in pain as he felt his whole body jerk back as he struggled to hold onto the railing. Allen pulled himself back onto the railing and noticed a button on the side of the door as an unsettling idea came to mind.

'You detestable brat,' the akuma cursed at him as he caught hold of the back of the claw, the akuma swung him up and smacked him in the abdomen and sending him smashing into the side of the door where he had wanted to be.

'Have a nice trip,' Allen uttered through the pain he felt in his chest as his hand found the release button and the balcony floor gave way and the akuma fell away from the train. Allen could hear its curses as the train left it far behind and he quickly opened the door and fell through where he landed on the floor at the feet of Cross who seemed to be waiting for him.

'I'm guessing we had an akuma on board,' Cross said amusingly as he picked the boy up and put him back on his feet. Allen stepped back from the man's grip but collapsed with dizziness. Allen placed his hand on his head and felt it being soaked in something wet and warm. He took his hand away and glanced at the blood trailing down the palm of his hand and into his sleeve.

'You've lost a lot of blood, geez, it seems like we have a tough trip ahead of us,' Cross ushered as he picked up the boy much to his protest and slung him over his shoulder.

'Put me down!' Allen demanded as Cross began to carry him back to the private quarter but Cross said nothing and continued through the carriage where the people were now awake and watching with surprise as they passed by.

Allen gave up after he gave Cross a hard punch in the back and hanged there till they were back in their carriage. Toma was waiting in the corridor as the two approached; Limina poked her head out of the quarter to see what was going on and disappeared. Allen guessed she was going back to reading that book of hers.

'Sir Allen, are you alright?' Toma asked as Cross finally put him down where the finder could examine the blood trickling down a cut on his forehead. Allen felt paranoid at the fuss Toma was making over him as he stood there while the finder went to fetch the first aid kit.

'He didn't destroy the akuma, we should expect it coming back for revenge,' Cross noted to him as Allen looked away; it wasn't his fault he couldn't activate the innocence in his arm.

Toma returned shortly after and began to clean up the blood on Allen's face; the boy winced as the finder disinfected the cut trailing along his forehead and bandaged his head with cloth.

'Is there anything I've missed?' Toma asked as the finder stood back to assess his work. Allen shook his head and gazed out the window, they were still crossing through the large meadows he had seen when he was looking from the back of the train.

….

The sun was well above the horizon as the train briefly stopped at a rural station and continued on.

'How long is it until we get there?' Allen asked as Cross looked at him from the top of his glasses, Allen hated the way he did that because it was never clear if the man was going to answer him or not.

'If the train isn't delayed, we'll reach the town by sundown,' Limina answered for him as Allen frowned at her, he swore he heard her emphasised 'delayed'. It was irritating listening to a girl as young as herself to be speaking with such maturity.

'I wasn't asking you,' Allen retorted dryly as Limina closed her book and stood up. She picked up a folded blanket and threw it over to Allen who caught it, wondering why she had given him the blanket.

'Sleep, you need rest, I'll patrol the train to see if there are any other akuma on board,' Limina said as if she had read what he was thinking and strolled out of the quarter. Cross stood up too as he got ready to wonder off also.

'That seems to be the best idea, try not to cause any more trouble,' Cross commented as he walked out too leaving Allen and Toma in the quarters alone. Allen was shaking in fury, they were almost the same in attitude and he couldn't bare it. Toma took the blanket out of Allen's lap and placed it on his shoulders with a small smile.

'They have a point you know, fighting that akuma without innocence must have taken a toll on your body,' Toma said as Allen settled down on the chair with the blanket over him. In a way, the finder was right much to his irritation as he felt the pain began to spread around his body.

Allen bolted up in shock as he gripped his head as it throbbed with pain. He had been dreaming again as he glanced around the quarter to see if the finder was anywhere to be seen and luckily he wasn't.

He quickly wiped his face and tried to breathe as evenly as he could before the finder could show up, which he did as he entered with a tray of food.

'Lunch, Sir Allen?' The finder asked as he gave the boy the tray and sat across from him. Allen glanced at the lunch that had been given to him; it was nothing to be excited over with a pre-made sandwich with a bottle of apple juice and a cookie. Allen looked up at Toma hoping that he wasn't expecting a thank you.

'I'm not hungry at the moment,' Allen replied as he tried to hand the tray back over to the finder but Toma rejected it as he still insisted for Allen to eat something from the tray he had brought.

'You hadn't eaten breakfast,' Toma said as Allen sighed and opened the packet of sandwiches and threw over the cookie to the finder.

'You at least have something, I don't like having to eat around others who aren't eating,' especially those I haven't deemed to be anything but strangers, Allen added silently as he slowly began to eat the sandwiches in the packet. The finder nodded and began to nibble on the cookie given to him.

There was an awkward silence between them as they ate, which was disrupted by Cross and Limina returning from their patrol.

'Did you find anything?' Toma asked as he stood up and shoved the half eaten cookie into his pocket. Allen looked away from the two as they sat down on the seats across from him as he began to eat the other half of the sandwich.

'If there are any akuma on board, they're being reluctant to make their presence known,' Cross replied as he stretched and crossed his legs on the seat where Allen was eating.

'Do you mind?' Allen said tartly as he shuffled away from Cross's boots. Limina didn't say anything and began to read her book she had pulled from her suitcase. Cross snickered at the boy's disgust but didn't remove his shoes from the seat as he gazed at the boy with interest.

'I'm still wondering how you're still able to be proven a threat even though you have no idea how to activate the innocence in your left hand,' Cross spoke up as Allen finished off the last of the sandwich he was eating. Allen looked up uneasily, he wasn't so sure himself all he did was react to how the situation put him in and that was all he could think of or it was all that made sense to him.

'Who knows?' Allen decided to say as he placed the tray next to him and opened the bottle of juice. Cross didn't seem too impress by that reply but didn't hover on it as Allen could tell the man was deep in thought.

'For a parasitic type, you don't seem to be that hungry,' Cross continued on as Limina looked up from her book and Allen noticed a small smile on her lips, a drastic change from her poker face she had been giving him.

'Parasitic-type accommodators have been known to have a large appetite and this is because the innocence uses a great deal of energy from the accommodator to have a stable synchro-rate,' Limina explained as she noticed that Allen didn't get where Cross was heading. Allen nodded slowly as he was quite shocked at the knowledge this small girl had and took a sip from the bottle.

He had no idea whether to take this information as some sort of pre-lecture or if they were curious about something that seemed different about him, either way it was pissing him off.

'Sorry I haven't had the appetite,' Allen apologized sarcastically as Limina glanced back at her book and continued reading. Cross wasn't so sure why the boy was being like that but he closed his eyes and shrugged and left it at that as Allen gazed out of the carriage window.

The number of paddocks and fields were beginning to reduce in number as they began to head into a forested area. Toma walked over to the window and glanced out as he studied the scenery outside.

'Looks like we'll arrive just before sunset,' the finder declared as he excused himself and headed outside as Cross opened his eyes and he seemed to be thinking differently as Allen frowned at him, why was he getting a bad feeling now of all things?

….

A few hours later Allen couldn't help but watch Cross and Limina start up a game of cards with a deck of cards that the girl happened to be carrying on her. The finder was sitting beside him and having fallen asleep was reasonably quiet, Allen stared outside the window; clouds were beginning to gather overhead as the forest around them became very dense and dark.

The only light was coming from their quarters and shining out through the darkness like some sort of beacon. Allen watched with mild interest as Cross and Limina played a silent version of the game snap, the only sound being the slapping of the cards whenever a pair showed up.

From the looks of things, Cross was losing considerably but he didn't seem to be bothered as much as he glanced up at Allen as Limina made another snap on a pair.

'Do you want to play?' Cross asked as Allen bolted out of his thoughtless gaze and shook his head frantically; Cross smirked and placed down another card on the pile. Allen stared back out the window as he looked beyond the reflection of the quarter and quickly stood up with agitation.

'What's wrong?' Cross asked him as he looked back up from the game he and Limina were playing and stood next to Allen. Allen didn't say anything as he focused his eyes to try to see what he had seen; it looked like something was running through the forest at an astonishing speeds that it was able to be seen if only briefly.

'Something was out there before,' Allen spoke up finally as Cross glanced at him as if he was making it up, Allen was furious and sat back down as Toma woke up as the train jolted suddenly on the tracks and gazed around the quarter.

'Did I miss something?' He asked as he yawned loudly as Allen shook his head stiffly.

'Nothing happened,' he said as Cross shrugged his shoulders and sat back down to continue the game of cards. Allen kept his eyes outside, he was sure that what he saw was real, it felt real enough to be giving him a really bad feeling.

Suddenly the train jolted again but this time it was more violent than before. The cards scattered onto the floor as everyone in the quarter braced themselves as the train screeched to a sudden halt.

'What's going on?' Toma stammered as he opened the door and glanced around, Allen could hear the sounds of other people wondering just about the same thing as the finder was. Cross stood up and hurried to the door and stood in the corridor his hand poised over the pouch that contained his revolver, Allen knew that this stop wasn't a coincidence as Limina gather the scattered cards with a flick of her hand.

Allen watched in shock as the cards jumped right into the girl's hand without anything touching them.

'Stay here,' Limina said quickly as she joined Cross, Allen gritted his teeth, even if that was amazing he still didn't like being bossed around by her. But then he shuddered with dread; something was behind him as he slowly glanced over his shoulder.

There in the window was a ghastly face staring back at him, the face seemed very familiar as Allen stood back in surprise.

'The window,' Allen cried out quickly but before anyone could react the window smashed into pieces sending the shards scattering over them. Allen covered his face as he began to step back but not before he felt something grip his leg and drag him out of the wrecked quarter.

'I've got him, you deal with the other exorcists,' the scorpion akuma ordered the other akuma that circled above it as Allen dangled from his foot in the grip of the same akuma he had dropped off the back of the train earlier that day. The akuma grinned menacingly at Allen before the akuma leapt away from the stopped train and pelted away.

Allen covered his face as the tree branches and leaves raked against his skin, the scratches were left to sting on his flesh.

'Thought you got rid of me, brat,' the akuma laughed as Allen struggled to get out of the akuma's grip but it was pointless there was no way the akuma was going to be fooled a second time as the akuma skidded to a halt and Allen felt his body jerk before he was smashed into the ground.

Allen gasped in pain as his head hit something hard and the pain rippled through his body. The akuma laughed harder as it lifted the boy up and swung him around crippling several trees as it went.

'What, given up already?' the akuma screamed in pleasure as Allen clenched his left hand, if only he had some way of activating it, he might be able to get out of this. The akuma stopped and gazed into Allen's bloodied face to see if he was dead but was disappointed see that the boy still was alive and breathing as Allen swung his left hand around and smacked it into the same spot his foot had made contact with its face.

There was a sickening crack as the akuma yelled out in pain as he swung Allen into the ground again and lifted him up. This time, Allen caught a glint of something coming towards the akuma and buried itself into the akuma's hard shell.

The akuma winced in pain as it glanced at the small rectangular shapes that were sticking out of its body. Allen realised it was the deck of cards Limina had just as she appeared.

'Let him go, akuma,' she shouted at it as she recalled the cards from its side. Allen felt the blood rush to his head as he still hanged from the akuma's claw, it wasn't helping the throbbing pain that he felt in his head and everywhere else on his body as he saw the akuma's tail twitch.

'Limina behind you,' Allen shouted as the girl glanced behind her just in time to see the tail tower above her, Limina flicked her hands and formed a wall with her cards at the point when the stinger came down. There was a blinding clash between Limina's wall of cards and the akuma's tail as Allen flinched as he covered his eyes from the light.

'Damn it,' the akuma cursed as it dug its free claw into the dirt and threw up a hurricane of earth at Limina, the girl braced herself for the impact as she disappeared in the storm of dirt and leaf debris. Allen felt something tickle his hand as he glanced down and saw one of Limina's cards and grabbed it, he realised that Limina wanted him to have it and hoped it would do something about the akuma as he gritted his teeth.

The akuma was on the move again, dashing away quickly; he guessed that the akuma wanted to deal with him without the interruption of the others. Allen covered his face as the akuma made its way through the thick undergrowth before coming to an open road and followed the road for a bit before jumping back into the forest.

Allen hated swinging from the claw as he felt his foot go numb and his head throb with the blood that had rushed down; it felt as if he was a balloon full of water.

'This should be far enough' the akuma snickered as it leapt out of the undergrowth and skidded to a halt jerking Allen's body violently. Allen believed that at some point his body would snap in two with all the force that was going around him as the akuma turned its attention back to him.

'Are you ready to meet your doom, brat?' the akuma said as Allen winced away from the spiny teeth that jutted out of its jaw and smirked.

'I thought you already started,' Allen mocked it as the akuma's glee turned to murderous hate as the akuma swung him into the ground with a loud thwack. Allen gasped and coughed as he felt the metallic taste of blood erupt into his mouth from somewhere in his body, the akuma lifted him up and did the same thing.

It seemed the akuma was waiting for him to go limp as a dead body would but Allen persisted in staying alive as the akuma constant threw him into anything that was standing beside them and at its feet.

'Why won't you die?' the akuma cursed but Allen couldn't respond the pain rippling through his body was so immense that he struggled to not scream. Then the akuma gave a fed up hiss and gripped his arms with its other claw and began to pull him about.

Allen couldn't keep the pain in as he screamed; his body was being pulled apart with horrible crackles coming from his joints as the akuma intended to pull him apart. He could think of many things to curse through all the pain he was experiencing as he felt for his left hand, if only he could activate it; he could stop this pain and defeat the akuma properly.

Suddenly something inside him snapped as he gritted his teeth in rage.

'Let go of me,' Allen roared at it as he twisted his arms away from the akuma much to its surprise and tore its claw away from its body. The akuma screamed in pain just as Allen had done when it tried to rip him apart, it let Allen go as he flipped and landed lightly on the ground a few metres away from it.

His left hand was glowing with a blinding green-white light as he felt like he understood what he should do as he forced the innocence to activate. It was a strange feeling to activate the innocence as he felt like something inside of him awaken as he summoned what looked like a monstrous metal claw from his deformed left arm.

The akuma blinked in confusion and fear as Allen launched himself at it despite the wounds that covered his entire body and slashed at him with the massive clawed arm. The akuma defended itself by swinging its tail at Allen, hoping to throw him off balance.

Allen paused briefly and flipped away from the akuma before coming towards him again and managed to slice off the akuma's other claw. The akuma cursed with bitterness as it stared at Allen as the boy turned on his foot and smashed the rest of it into pieces. Allen stared down at the bloody mess at his feet, he was dazed by what had happened as he felt the warm liquid of blood ooze from the wounds on his body and soak into the his clothes.

His enlarged monstrous arm shrunk back to its original size and he felt himself stagger around through an air of dizziness. The boy collapsed as he looked up at the sky; it was lightening up with the hazy orange of a rising sun flooding from below the horizon as he slowly lost conscious.

….

**I'm glad everyone's enjoying this so I'll continue to post more for this story but I may have to pause now and then to focus on my other works…**

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	5. Chapter 5

Allen slowly woke to the sound of a solid; metallic beeping that pulsed beside him as he gazed around the strange room he had found himself in. The whitewashed walls seemed to close in on him as he glanced at the source of the beeping sound, it was some sort of medical machine used in hospitals as he heard the door slowly click open.

'Ah, you're up,' a voice called to him as Allen lifted his head to see a figure standing beside the door, he was a tall man wearing what seemed to be a lab coat, his blonde hair was spiked wildly as if he too had just woken up and as Allen's vision became clearer, he could notice the dark bags under his eyes.

'Where is this?' Allen asked him as the man came over and checked the medical files that were placed on the bedside table; Allen sat up in the bed as the man pulled up a seat beside him while flicking through the files.

'You're Allen Walker right? I heard briefly about you from the chief,' the man said as he placed the file back down and leaned on the bed. Allen blinked at him vaguely as it seemed like things were finally sinking in for him, maybe the idea of being an exorcist hasn't but the situation he was in now seemed much clearer than before.

'This isn't the school, is it?' Allen decided to ask instead as the man smiled as if to acknowledge what the boy had said to him.

'Close, we're in the hospital in the town near the school,' the man replied as he stood up and held out his hand.

'The name's Reever Wenham, I'm one of the teachers but mostly I work in the science department,' the man introduced himself as Allen took the hand reluctantly and shook it before pulling out the needle that stuck out of his hand.

Reever seemed eager to protest but didn't bother as he lifted a parcel from the foot of the bed; the parcel was strikingly similar to the box given to him by the finder, Toma.

'We had to get you a new uniform, since the one you were wearing got severely damaged,' Reever explained as Allen took the box and opened it to see the familiar grey and red uniform folded neatly within the box.

He was half pleased at seeing it but since his jumper was also likely ruined, he would have to bear without it. Allen sighed heavily making Reever raise his eyebrows with interest.

'Are you nervous? Don't worry there's a bunch of good kids there to help ease the settling in,' Reever seemed to reassure him thinking that he had sighed for that reason, Allen seemed very amused by the man's observation but didn't say anything as he picked out the blazer. Then Allen remembered something about what had happened before he had lost conscious.

'What happened to Cross and Limina?' Allen asked as he was quite surprised at how he was concerned for their safety as he feverishly looked away. Reever stared at him in confusion before moving over to the window to open the drawn curtains.

'They're both fine, you were the only concern, took a lot of blood transfers too, don't get badly hurt again,' Reever seemed to warn him but his voice was alight with humour as if he had found it funny somehow.

Allen however didn't see why that was funny; fighting an akuma was certainly not funny especially for whoever else had to fight them. Reever nodded casually as he made his way to the door.

'Get dressed and I'll escort you to the school,' Reever said as Allen gazed after the man as he closed the door behind him and left the boy alone.

….

Allen came outside fully dressed as Reever sat beside the door with a newspaper lying open on his lap as Allen recognised a familiar figure standing beside him.

'Toma,' Allen blinked in surprise as the finder did a small bow as he greeted the boy and Reever stood up folding the newspaper under his arm. They both seemed eager to go as Allen started to feel the queasy feeling Reever had mentioned before as they headed out of the hospital.

'It's good to see you've come to Allen, you've been out for nearly four days,' the finder said as they exited the building and began to walk up the street. Allen shuddered as he realised how long he had been asleep and gazed around the street.

The street was pleasant and cheerful with rows of shops opened. Several florists were tending the colourful flowers that adorned their stands as they beckoned people to buy their wares.

Some small children were gleefully watching a street performer doing tricks and stunning those who could be bothered to stop and watch. It was all something that Allen didn't expect to see in a country town at all as he noticed that his uniform was attracting some unwanted glances from people who had nothing better to do in the street.

'Why are they staring?' Allen whispered to Reever as the man looked at him and laughed, which was quite an unexpected reaction for Allen.

'These people are aware of what we do here and they greatly respect those who wear the uniform you're wearing,' Reever explained but Allen was sceptical about it as he side-glanced a kid who openly acknowledged the uniform before being ushered away by his mother.

He wasn't sure if half the glances were respectful at all as he noticed a pair of schoolgirls in different uniforms whispering and giggling to each other as they stared at him.

'How far are we from the school?' Allen asked in a low voice, he was for once looking forward to getting there if it meant that the uneasy feeling he was getting from people looking at him would go away. Reever grinned as he pointed further down the street.

'Not far, just around the corner,' he replied as they walked across the road and turned the corner where Allen caught a glimpse of a high-bricked wall and an iron gate with the emblem from his blazer outlined on the front.

This was clearly the entrance to the school but for some strange reason it didn't feel like a school but some sort of high-security prison. Allen watched Reever pull a wireless speaker from his coat pocket and hooked it on his ear.

'Hey chief, could you open the gates for us?' Reever spoke into the mouthpiece as he paused while he waited for an answer. He blinked with surprise as Allen guessed that he received a reply.

'You're back from your mission already? Where's your brother?' Reever said as Allen frowned as he noticed that the person on the other end wasn't the chief Reever had asked for. Then Allen noticed that Reever suddenly stiffen with a rage as he saw his jaw clench.

'That bastard… Anyway could you open the gate for us?' Reever seemed to chill but Allen could easily tell he was pissed off with the chief. A moment later a loud buzzing sound could be heard and the gates slid open as they entered the school grounds.

The grounds were just as surprising as the town was; a rather dense forest bordered the road that was presumed to lead to the school as they began to walk up the dirt road.

'How big is this property?' Allen asked curiously as Reever thought for a moment and glance back at the boy.

'No idea and I've been working here for the past twelve years,' Reever replied as Allen grimaced hopeless; what Reever said didn't make any sense to him as the forest slowly opened up to a wide, shady courtyard in front of a vintage-looking mansion that towered at least four-stories above their heads.

'Can you even call this a school?' Allen exclaimed in surprise as Reever laughed at his reaction as if to slightly agree with him. The finder tapped him lightly on the shoulder as Allen glanced at him.

'Our Sacred Cross Academy is actually a school for exorcists,' Toma seemed to announce to him as Allen cringed at the word 'exorcist', it seems that it'll take a while longer for him to actually settle into this seemingly new way of life. The finder smiled softly as they headed to the large set of double doors that Allen couldn't mistake as the entrance.

'I still think this is over the top,' Allen commented queasily as they walked up the steps leading to the door and as Reever put his hand on the door, the door opened before them and they were greeted by a young girl about Allen's age with long dark green hair whisked up into two high ponytails.

She stood there with a bright welcoming smile but what Allen first noticed was that she was wearing the same yet different uniform that he was wearing.

'Welcome to Our Sacred Cross Academy, Allen,' she said with a big cheerful smile on her face, Allen recoiled, did everyone here know his name as he stared at the hand she was giving him. Allen felt his cheeks burn and looked away.

'Thanks,' he said ruefully as she giggled and withdrew her hand and looked at Reever and the finder.

'I'll take over from here, I think my brother is hiding out in the library again,' the girl said as she glanced at them, Reever sighed with annoyance as he walked past her with the finder close behind. Allen watched them leave him with the smiling girl; he didn't like the idea of having the girl as his guide around the school as she blinked up at him.

'Aren't you coming inside?' the girl pondered as Allen hurried indoors and she closed the door behind them. The inside of the mansion-like building were high arched ceilings and marble pillars, which made it seem more like a palace with the dangling chandeliers.

'I'm Lenalee Lee, I'm kind of my brother's adviser, and he's always so useless sometimes,' she explained as she led him into another corridor. Allen noticed that there were large rooms filled with people doing studying and other things as Lenalee stopped in front of him.

'These rooms are used by the scientists, we don't normally hang around here though, unless our innocence are getting repaired or if we are obtaining another uniform,' Lenalee said as she moved on and led Allen down another corridor where they ended up entering a large hall where long tables were placed parallel to each other and several people were either sitting down eating or lining up in a queue beside a window.

'This is the dining room, it's a great place for chatting and eating,' Lenalee said as she beamed a smile at him, Allen wasn't use to this kind of attitude from someone because he had never met anyone like that before. But he didn't say anything as she led him to the long line that was queuing for the window.

'Hey everyone, this is the new exorcist that will be joining us,' Lenalee called out as she pointed at Allen. Allen jumped in shock at the sudden enthusiasm from the girl and grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

'What do you think you're doing?' Allen hissed at her angrily, he was hoping that he could avoid as much attention as he could but now seemed to be the centre of it all as the people in the hall glanced in his direction.

Some of them were wearing the white coat that Toma was wearing so he guessed that they were finders, others were wearing white lab coats and he presumed they were scientists but there were others he couldn't tell what they did. Allen sighed heavily and let Lenalee go as the people standing in the line came up to welcome him.

'Are you enjoying yourself?' one asked as Allen flinched at the question, he had a sharp retort ready but thought better than to say it.

'Heard about the akuma, gutless they are to come after a new exorcist,' another commented, they were beginning to crowd around him and Allen was starting to feel caught in an invisible spider web.

'Yes but please can I have some space,' Allen stammered as he managed to squeeze out of the gathering and unfortunately bumped into someone who was passing by with a tray of food. The tray slipped from the person's grip as Allen got his legs tangled in theirs and they fell over together in a heap on the floor.

Allen sat up and stared at the person he had accidentally bumped into, strands of what looked like noodles were sticking out of their long black hair and they were wearing the same red uniform. At first, Allen thought it was a girl but changed that thought quickly when he saw the masculine face of the person and he wasn't happy.

'Um, sorry,' Allen said nervously, the boy's murderous gaze made him remember things he'd rather forget as the boy before him seemed to boil with irritation.

'Watch where you're going,' the boy fumed at him as he stood up, Allen didn't seem quite interested in that as he stood up too and faced the boy. The boy was slightly taller than he was but he didn't care.

'What's your problem, I said I was sorry and besides it's just noodles,' Allen shouted back at him as he caught a glimpse of people taking a step back, they seemed very nervous about what might occur.

'That was my breakfast, you annoying beansprout,' the boy yelled at him as Allen cringed angrily at having the boy give him a nickname.

'The name's Allen, pigtail,' Allen retorted dryly as Lenalee stood between them as they both looked at her, she didn't seemed too pleased about what was going on between them.

'Will the both of you calm down? Kanda can't you just order some more soba,' Lenalee said as she stared at the boy with the long pigtail then she turned to Allen, her face was softened with apologetic manner.

'Maybe coming here was a bad idea,' she said as she led Allen away before something else came up that could cause trouble to her tour of the school. Allen was still fuming as they walked up the corridor, the boy he now knew was Kanda, was someone he had to get use to and because he was too busy in his thoughts, Lenalee had to tug Allen's sleeve to get his attention as they stopped in another corridor.

'This is our corridor, outside there's a large oval where we train and then there's my brother's office,' Lenalee explained as she pointed to where the things she listed were. Allen sighed to get the frustration that was tightening his chest.

'This brother of yours, he wouldn't happen to be this 'chief' I've been hearing about?' Allen asked as Lenalee gave him a knowing smile and he guessed he was right as she continued further down the corridor.

'His name is Komui Lee and he issues out our assignments,' Lenalee explained further as they stopped in front of a large door were an argument seemed to be going on inside. Lenalee opened the door and they both stepped through as Allen noticed Reever holding another man as if stopping him from running away.

'That's not fair, you guys have been working me too hard,' the man complained as Allen heard Lenalee sigh with embarrassment; he seemed a little disappointed by the way the man acted. It was like watching a three-year-old having their dessert taken from them when they hadn't finished their vegetables.

'That's the chief?' Allen asked half-heartedly as both Lenalee and Reever nodded hopelessly, the man Reever had been holding glanced at Allen and straightened himself out with a cough. Allen felt threatened by the man's change of nature as Reever finally let him go.

'So this is the exorcist Cross has found, Allen Walker,' the man inquired as he sat down behind his desk and gave a funny laugh. Allen frowned at him wondering what was funny as Lenalee offered him a seat but he shook his head quickly as he preferred to stand. The man stared at him from over his glasses before picking up a file that lay beside him and began to flick through it.

'You're fifteen years old, right? And have quite an interesting history,' the man said as he read certain things from the file, Allen blinked in confusion as he tried to understand what the man was talking about.

'What do you mean Komui?' Lenalee asked she seemed just as curious as Allen was at the information Komui was reading as he placed the file, opened, on the desk.

'Since you seem to possess no birth certificate or any kind of identification for that matter, Cross directed us to another source,' Komui began to explain as Allen felt a chill run down his spine, for some reason he didn't want to hear it.

'You seem to have quite a history with the police, Mr Walker,' Allen laughed nervously as he felt everyone's eyes in the room look at him suspiciously. Why did Cross have to do that?

Allen wasn't especially happy about them knowing about his swiping habits, lucky most of them were never recorded as he remembered the last theft of a few dollars from a man at the train station.

'What about it?' Allen asked casually as Komui glanced down at the records he had and flicked through a couple of them.

'Nothing it's just very interesting that's all, besides… you're not here for that,' Komui replied as Allen noticed a glint cross the man's eyes, it didn't look like a good sign. For once Allen felt as nervous as ever as Komui came to stand in front of him and adjusted his glasses.

...

**Here is the next chapter... but from here on, the updates may not be consistent**

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	6. Chapter 6

….

'You wouldn't mind if I took a look at your left arm,' he said as Allen flinched, he definitely would mind if the man looked at his arm, he didn't look like anyone Allen would trust with anything.

'Oh don't worry, I promise it won't hurt,' he added as he saw the distrust in Allen's eyes and patted the boy on the back as if to reassure him. Allen wasn't convinced as he stepped away from Komui; this single person had so many different shifts in personality it was difficult to tell if it was safe at all to believe him.

'Since you have no idea how to activate it, it may prove useful for us to examine why,' Reever explained further for Allen as Allen frowned at the both of them. He had activated it but actually forgot how to do it again as he silently thought as he glanced at his left hand.

'Fine,' Allen said finally with irritation as Komui led him into a nearby room with a lot of strange equipment and tools. It reminded Allen of a small tool shed as Komui gestured for him to take a seat on the table. Allen jumped up on the table as swung his legs carelessly as he waited for this to be over and done with.

'Remove your blazer and shirt please,' Komui asked as he fiddled around with something, his back was turned and shielding whatever it was. Allen blinked in shock.

'Hell no,' Allen protested, he bitterly detested the idea but Komui turned to him and was staring with the annoying glint in his eyes.

'Allen I can't think of any other way of fully seeing your innocence,' Komui said as Allen grumbled under his breath. He didn't like the idea of showing anybody his arm; it was horrendous and inhuman even to him.

But sighed with annoyance and unbutton his shirt and blazer, it was better to get this over and done with. Komui looked at his left arm with obvious fascination before clucking his tongue and leaning back.

'It seems to possess your entire left arm, quite rare indeed,' Komui said as Allen rolled his eyes and shivered, without his shirt the room was very cold as he hugged himself to keep warm. Komui chuckled softly but said nothing as he jotted something down in a file he had close to him.

'You can fully move your arm yet not be able to activate, this will be difficult I suppose,' Komui finally said as Allen hastily put his shirt back on and buttoned it up. He had no idea what the man was imposing but it currently didn't matter.

'Well since we're finished here, I think it would be good to introduce yourself to the other students, don't worry they're exorcists like you and my darling Lenalee will escort you,' Allen grumbled but saw no point in arguing with this insane man with an obvious sister-complex. But Komui next words were spoken to the closed door as Allen made his way quickly from the seemingly disturbing man.

School… friends… why on earth did it have to be him? He was happy with his down to earth life, living at his own pace even if it meant breaking a few laws made by people with the common sense of a rat.

'I see you're done Allen, please follow me to the classroom,' Allen jumped as he rounded the corner where Lenalee seemed to be waiting for him expectantly. He glared at her furiously.

'What makes you think that I'll follow you?' Allen said in a low yet challenging tone. Lenalee's eyes narrowed dangerous and before he could react, the girl was already dragging him down the corridor to another part of the building.

'O-Oi let me go!' The girl refused to listen as Allen helpless was dragged behind, he couldn't even bring himself to shrug her off like he usual would have. It probably was the thought of that crazy man who was her brother that may have stopped him somehow. Allen did get the feeling that the guy was dangerous.

….

The classroom was surprisingly not far from Komui's office just across a very long corridor then a left and a right turn. The room in itself was, average and large enough to accommodate at least thirty students. Wide glass windows framed one side and showed the grounds of the school all the way to the forest line a fair distance away.

Allen wasn't going to admit it but even he didn't expect the classroom to be this organised… the other students were a different matter entirely. There were a total of three students present in the classroom.

Limina also were there sitting near the front of the room and fairly engrossed in the book she was reading. Then there was that jerk-faced idiot with the girly hair that Allen had met in the cafeteria and if he recalled correctly the guy's name was Kanda.

The other student was new to him. The shorter boy noticed them enter and smiled upon their entry. Allen huffed and glanced the other way, his mind set on leaving the room but not until he ran into another person in the same uniform.

'Eh? Running off are ya?' the girl was giggling to herself her spiky red hair and gleaming red eyes showed her childish nature even if Allen had just met her.

'Phoenix, I heard you got punished by brother,' Lenalee seemed to recall as the girl's playful expression turned icy cold in a blink of an eye.

'Shut up will ya, it's boring, besides I wanted to see the new kid,' there was a mischievous glint in the Phoenix's eyes that made Allen rather nervous of this newcomer. It was about then that Lenalee intervened with a sharp cough to gain everyone's attention.

'Allen I'm sure you know of Kanda and Limina the boy over there is Amber and Phoenix is behind us though she's supposed to be doing library duty… they, along with a few others are students and also accommodators,' Lenalee seemed to say until another set of footsteps.

'Hey, is this the newbie?' Allen's eye twitched slightly, the mocking tone in this new person's was very annoying. He spun back to face the doorway where two other boys stood.

'That's not very nice Jesse and don't you start Daisya,' Lenalee urged the two of them, both of the boys' were taller than Allen but seemingly looked to be around the same age. Even Phoenix was taller if only by an inch or two who just happened to snicker for some odd reason.

'It would seem we picked up quite the person,' she sneered knowingly as Allen silently glared at her. One of the boys laughed before looking at the girl almost his height.

'Phoenix I thought you were supposed to doing library duty…'

'If I wanted a reminder, I'd have bought a GPS!' Phoenix flared as she pounced on the boy who spoke and they toppled over into the corridor and out of Allen's line of sight.

'But that gives directions…' Allen faintly heard the boy called Jesse say before choking sounds followed.

'Just ignore them Allen, I hope we can be friends soon,' Allen stared at the outstretched hand Lenalee held to him. He didn't like this, everyone was weird and he wasn't into making any friends… hell he didn't even want to be here in the first place!

'Who wants to be friends with a spoilt brat like you, I'm only here because that fucking cunt brought me here. End of story!' Allen tried to barge past her but Phoenix reappeared in the doorway and took hold of his shoulders. Then she dragged him further into the room.

'Aw, don't be a wet blanket, it's still morning…'

'Actually it's past lunchtime, Phoenix,' Amber cut in only to receive a death stare from the girl. The boy quickly ducked behind the desk as if it would protect him. Allen struggled but Phoenix seemed much stronger than what her appearance gave away and he was forcefully pushed into a chair.

Phoenix then waved her finger right into his personal space. Allen grumbled and sank down into his chair with his arms crossed over his chest.

'Still class is the other thing we do besides exorcising akuma, right now a few of us are doing missions… I'm sure Lenalee explained that,' Phoenix side glanced a Lenalee.

'Of course I did and if you do stuff other than destroying akuma you get punished like Phoenix!' Phoenix flinched slightly before grizzling.

'It was just one fucking town, deal with it,' the girl fumed in response completely forgetting Allen who was still seated at the desk now surrounded by the present students except Kanda and Limina. Lenalee cocked her head to the side and tapped her foot impatiently.

'Yet you dealt over 500,000 dollars in damage and brother had to cover it up with additional costs,' Phoenix sighed wistfully,

'500,000? Argh, I better try harder next time,'

'Are you even listening Phoenix!'? Lenalee flared but Phoenix simply shrugged her shoulders. The red headed girl just turned on her heel and waved a small bye before disappearing out of the classroom. Allen glanced at Lenalee and the young kid called Amber who tried to calm her down.

It was about then that he and Allen caught each other's eyes, the boy's queasy laughter barely audible over Lenalee's grumbling.

'I was there when Phoenix went berserk, it was terrifying,' Amber said with his face becoming pale before they heard the door open.

'Get into your seats students,' Allen turned to stare out the window when a woman, possibly in her late twenties walked into the room with a small spider monkey screeching on her shoulder. Despite trying to avoid looking at her completely, he could still see her reflection in the window.

'I'm sure everyone here has been introduced to Allen Walker,' Allen saw her head turn towards him before returning to the rest of the class.

'Opening up your textbooks to page 72 and we'll resume Macbeth,'

….

Allen was quick to leave the classroom as soon as the teacher, Ms Nyne he thought he heard her say. He stormed off in some random direction but couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed. He whipped around causing the person who was trailing him to jump in fright.

'Did I do something wrong, Allen-senpai?' the boy asked looking slightly fearful. It was hard to believe that this kid could even stand up against akuma.

'Senpai?' Allen raised his eyebrow with annoyance since he was slightly familiar with Japanese honorific. The kid nodded.

'Yeah, I'm only twelve but I'm still an exorcist,' Allen frowned at the kid, not wanting to know anything else about him. He went to go his own way before he felt the kid grab his arm.

'I know you're not the social type but I'd like to show you a place that you could use,' He wasn't so sure about this but the kid was already beginning to lead him towards a set of stairs that trailed upwards. Allen followed as they continued to climb the staircase and the kid opened the big red door that stood at the top.

'This is the rooftop, Musk and I would normally come up here to look at the stars,'

Allen stepped past the kid and out onto the roof. It certainly was quiet as the kid walked past him and looked down from the barrier that surrounded the roof. It really did feel like a prison as Allen walked slowly and took a glance towards the ground below. It was very high, he estimated about eleven stories high maybe.

'Who's Musk?' the boy looked at him and smiled.

'She's my twin sister but she's out on a mission with Marie,' He explained to Allen as Allen turned and leaned his back against the barricade, letting it take on his weight.

'And who are you again?' It would appear that Allen forgot the kid's name again. The kid looked hurt slightly.

'Amber Siphon… but you know most of us here didn't want to be,' Allen almost snorted but when he saw the Amber's depressed face he stopped and looked at his feet.

'Why's that?' He might as well listen now that he heard that.

'My parents were supernatural freaks, and we spent our budget going after folklores and tales of haunting,' Allen laughed but not on purpose. There really were strange people here. Amber glared at him thinking Allen was making fun of him.

'B-but it's true, we were in Japan at the time when Musk and I first saw an akuma… it was then that we realised that we were accommodators.' Amber's face dropped slightly. Allen stopped laughing and began to wonder why Amber was telling him this.

The kid had parents and he began to feel slightly angry and sad inside, something he didn't want to feel at all.

'Then we met the finders and they said that we had to accompany them to this place. My parents refused especially when it was explained to them that we'd be fighting akuma… we were eight at the time,' Allen didn't want to hear what was next. Amber's voice held a tone of foreboding as the kid's eyes darkened.

'They returned the next day and sat down to have tea with my parents… but more to the point, that was the day my parents forgot about our existence,' Allen froze as he stared at Amber whose back was turned to him… What? He looked at Amber; the corners of the kid's eyes were glistening with unfallen tears.

'Musk saw them last year but from a distance… do you know that we have a little sister now?' Allen wasn't listening anymore. If Amber's story was this sad why hadn't he rebelled against this place? He relaxed his shoulders and made his way back to the entry, his fury having been rekindled and burning as fiercely as before.

What kind of people would do that to a kid? Allen never knew his parents and it was probably for the better but this kid… He lived with his mother and father, had a life and created memories only for them to be absolutely worthless.

It just proved his point. If those chosen by God had to go through this, he didn't want to be one.

….

**Finally got this finished, I hope I don't have many mistakes but if there is just let me know so that I can fix them!**

**And please REVIEW! C:**


	7. Chapter 7

….

Other than the roof, Allen found his only solitude in his own room. It was small and several stories off the ground so he couldn't just jump out the window. The design of the room contained a single bed, a desk and lamp and a chair. Just a simple layout and an annoying bonus was that he got himself his own personal alarm clock.

He only got it because he refused to get up in the mornings to attend the morning classes. That bastard called Cross gave Allen Tim to wake him up and the golem did its job a little too well.

In fact it was so loud that Allen was exhausted from chasing the darn thing around his room whilst getting ready.

It did the exact same thing and Allen had had enough of it as he lunged at the golem only to miss by a mere centimeters.

'Fuck you, get back here!' Allen demanded as he grabbed the rim of a basket in the corner of his room and used it like a net. Timcampy dodged to the right but Allen, now used to the mechanical nuisance's flying pattern, managed to actually get the thing in the bloody basket and flipped it over.

'Gotcha…' he panted before he heard a knock coming from his bedroom door.

'Oi, Allen is everything ripe as apples in there, you sound like you're wrestling a croc,'

'Shut up!' Allen demanded as he hurried around the room getting dressed sport uniform consisting of a long sleeved polo shirt and shorts.

'Don't have to get feisty mate,' came the replay from the other side of the door. When Allen was satisfied that he had done everything he opened the door to find Jesse standing there with a look of bemusement.

'You might want to deal with the critter,' the boy pointed out glancing at something behind Allen.

'What?' Allen turned only to have a basket smack right into his face and a hissing golem to top it off. He could hear Jesse laughing behind him as he turned to glare at the blonde kid.

'Blimey don't need to get all clucky on me,' Allen felt his eye twitch at this guy's words.

'Mind repeating that,' Allen asked dangerously but it seemed that Jesse wasn't a complete idiot to fall for that and bolted down the hall quickly.

….

When he eventually got down to the oval, the other students were already there; they were lazing around and talking to each other waiting for the teacher to show up.

'How's it going mate?' Jesse who noticed his approach called out as Allen glanced the other way and sat down on the slope of the hill.

'Aw, don't have to spit the dummy on me,' Allen glared at him before Lenalee swatted Jesse over the back of his head with her hand.

'Enough Jesse,' Lenalee said with slight concern in her voice. Jesse just grumbled as he rubbed his sore head.

'Yeah, if ya don't want to get ya head bitten off,'

'Phoenix!' Lenalee flared as she eyed the flaming haired girl sitting on top of a wired fence surrounding the track. Allen sighed hopelessly as he laid back and looked at the clouds racing across the sky.

'Just ignore Jesse-senpai, he might sound insulting but he actually cares,' a small voice spoke through the bickering happening to the right of him. Allen winced at that wondering briefly where the guy had come from.

Allen snorted instead of saying what was on his mind as lifting his discolored hand above his face. The rays of sun were getting annoying and he tried blocking out as much of it as he could.

He ignored Amber after that but the kid didn't say anything after that and continued to sit next to him.

'What are you doing lazing around, you pathetic runts?' Allen felt his eye twitch as a loud yet deep voice echoed from behind them. Amber jumped to his feet hastily while Allen took to leaning on his elbows.

A muscular man stood at the top of the hill with a scowl that could match Kanda's. The man came down still glaring at each of them before his dark eyes fell on Allen.

'So you're the brat that Cross picked up? I'm a little disappointed,' the man snarled harshly before looking at the rest of the students. All while Allen was left to fume over the man's obvious insult to him.

'What are you still doing standing around, twenty laps each…' then he threw his gaze between Limina and Amber.

'I want to see at least ten from you two,' Jesse was the first on up as he jumped onto the tracks.

'The old codger has spoken!' Allen could hear the man grizzle angrily as the other students started doing laps before the man's gaze was pinned immediately on him.

'What you waiting for? Join them!' Allen had never been this hasty before but he was quick to get to his feet and joined other reluctantly on the fields.

After they had completed the given task of running laps, Allen collapsed exhaustedly on the grass. Everyone around him were panting as heavily as he was before the man who Allen found out was called Winter Zokalo, towered behind them.

'Oi, oi, we have barely started because we are now going to play a little game everyone the rules are simple… protect you tag at all cost and no rules,' Zokalo threw down some tags that they were to tuck into the elastics of their shorts. Allen grabbed his and did just that before glancing at the only person he was willing to talk to.

'What's going on?' Allen asked Amber who happened to be standing beside him at the time.

'We have to use our innocence to defend ourselves while going for the other's tags,' if we lose ours we are out,' came Amber's reply as Allen watched the kid pale probably threw anxiety.

Allen didn't like the sound of that and for good reason; he couldn't bloody activate his innocence properly yet. So he was going to have to go on the defense against those who can, which he could see wasn't a fair advantage at all.

'Mr. Zokalo, one of us is incapable of activation…' Lenalee interjected before she was rudely cut off.

'Bloody oath, makes it easier for those who can even grab a third tag. Sheila-impersonator over there keeps nabbing them,' Jesse interrupted while throwing challenging glares towards the longhaired exorcist standing to one side of the group.

'You're all weak,' came his reply as Allen silently boiled at the boy's insult as he stood up.

'Alright, I'll give you all ten seconds to spread out… one…' Zokalo began counting down as Allen saw the students dash off quickly away from potential threats.

'Don't let Phoenix or Kanda be your first opponent,' Allen vaguely registered Amber's words of caution as the young boy scurried off to some part on the oval. He didn't like being told what to do, but he will reluctantly admit that that advice would come in handy as he remained where he was because he was the only one there… besides Zokalo that is.

'… Three, two, one aaaaand began!'

Allen barely had time to register as something whizzed right past his head, it was so close that he had felt the breeze.

'Bloody hell mate, what are you standing around for?' Allen was spun around positioning himself in a fighting stance as he saw that his first opponent would be the nonsense babbling Jesse.

'Why'd you throw your weapon?' Allen glared as he saw that Jesse wasn't holding onto anything but safely presumed that he was the one who threw something at him. Jesse just grinned and pointed at something behind him.

'What goes around comes around…' just as Allen heard that, he made out a red glint in the sky of blue as it sped towards him. Jumping back, Allen tumbled out of the way as the object speed past him and was caught by Jesse.

'I'll give you the heads up mate, I'm a crystal type my weapon taking the form of two boomerangs and just so you know they always come back,' Jesse lunged towards him, wielding the curved shaped weapon as the boy aimed to get at his tag.

Allen flipped back just in time as the weapon was thrown at him with the flick of Jesse's wrist. But unfortunately he slightly forgot about the part that the thing could come back as he barely felt something as cold as ice leaving a stinging trailing across his forehead.

Wincing, Allen clasped his arm as the warm blood began to flow freely. Damnit why did it have to be his right arm? Allen glared at Jesse before he saw that the boy had thrown them again at him.

He dove to the side but out on the oval, there was barely any cover to use and Allen still didn't have the slightest idea of how to activate his innocence. Realizing this, Allen knew he was at a heavy disadvantage.

During his distraction he was once again struck by the nasty innocence while Jesse caught them with ease and prepared to throw them again.

Suddenly a dark blur landed in front of him before it knocked away the boomerangs. Allen noticed the dark grey hair belonging to Amber who was holding onto a wicked looking scythe. Allen's blood chilled as he wondered what was going on.

'That's not nice Jesse,' Amber muttered as he stood up straight in between Allen and Jesse. Allen couldn't help but noticed that the younger boy's stance wasn't strong as Jesse just grinned.

'Ok you little ankle biter, try me,' Amber dashed away but not before Allen caught a soft 'sorry' from the kid before he immediately looked at his waist and swore. Amber had taken his tag without him knowing it! But he sighed and got up as he walked away… Allen really couldn't care less for that matter as he slumped onto the grass and just gazed up at the sky.

….

Later that even, he found himself in the last class being taught by the last person he had wanted to see at the time, Marian Cross. The class was smaller this time since Phoenix had gone back to doing her punishment while everyone else had to continue their bloody lessons.

'… With that we conclude that the… are you even listening idiot?' Allen felt something small bounces off his head before he turned to stare at Cross whose fingers were drumming impatiently on the desk.

In fact Allen wasn't listening to the lecture at all because the man taught it and secondly he just didn't want to be there in the first place.

'Fine class dismissed… except for brat zoning out in my class!' Cross said as everyone quickly left the room leaving only Allen and Cross there. Allen ignored the emptiness because it didn't bother him that much as the man strolled over to where he was sitting.

'Can you at least learn to like it here? Most of us don't like it but we have to deal with it,' Cross growled as he pulled out a seat for himself and sat down in front of Allen whose gaze was out the window.

'This place is fucked up,' Allen retorted as he continued to gaze out the window.

'Don't I know it?' Cross mumbled as he pulled a cigarette free from its packet and put it in his mouth. Allen glanced at him, eyeing the man briefly as he lit the cigarette.

'You're not suppose to smoke indoors,' Allen stated bluntly as Cross just grunted at him.

'Does it look like I care? Listen kid, we all have things we don't like but we have to deal with them,' Allen slumped down further in his seat as Timcampy made it its business to fly around them both.

'Besides that, Komui would like to see you in his office tomorrow… it should be easy enough but we're hoping that it will at least help with getting your innocence activated,'

….

**A/N **

**Seventh chapter peoples and enjoying it so far… displayed two of the OCs innocence and Jesse speaks with some Australian slang just so you know… so anyway… **

**Please REVIEW! XD**


	8. Chapter 8

….

Allen woke to someone softly knocking on his bedroom door, how he heard was beyond him. He groggily slipped from the covers and opened the door. Standing out in the corridor was the boy called Amber, wide-awake and already dressed in his uniform.

He frowned before glancing behind at the digital clock sitting on his bedside table… it was barely 6am.

'What are you doing up this early?' Allen droned his sleepy protest and muffled a yawn creeping to his mouth. Amber smiled apologetically.

'Sorry but whenever we are given an assignment we are needed in Komui's office before six-thirty,' Allen grizzled at Amber's explanation and closed the door again. He quickly grabbed his uniform and lazily pulled on his pants and shirt without bothering to tuck it in. Then finally the blasted blazer displaying the schools emblem, the silver rose cross.

'Allen-senpai are you ready?' came Amber's voice through the door just as Allen went to open the door. At this time, the golem Cross had dumped on him had woken up from its slumber on the head of his bed and flew over to rest in his red hair.

'As much as I want to be,' was Allen's reply as Amber led the way to Komui's office.

When they eventually arrived, they were greeted with a not-so-cheerful hello from a sleep-deprived Komui. Allen didn't even want to know if his night was like for him to end up like shit.

'Blimey, I'm surprised you even got the bastard up, Amber,' Allen frowned when he noticed Jesse leaning over the back of the couch, gazing at each of them.

'Leave him alone Jesse-senpai,' Amber said as he took a seat on the couch and waited for Komui to speak. Allen just stood behind waiting for whatever this was to be over and done with.

'I'm sending you to the neighboring town where there have been sightings of level one akuma,' Komui murmured as he stifled a yawn.

'Just go over there, dispose of the akuma and come back… simple enough and Allen you're tasked with activating your innocence,' Oh boy, he knew that the chief was going to say something about that sooner or later as Allen was the first to turn on his heel and leave the room.

Amber was out of the room close behind him, probably making sure that Allen wasn't going to avoid doing this assignment.

'This is good isn't it Allen-senpai?' Amber jogged beside him to keep up with Allen pace just as Jesse caught up and wrapped his arm around Allen's shoulder. Allen gritted his teeth while silently fuming.

He wasn't going to do anything yet until they left this god-forsaken school.

….

They traveled by train with one finder, which Allen was slightly disappointed that it wasn't Toma. Jesse and Amber sat across from him with the chattering boy talking enthusiastically about something while Amber just laughed.

Allen just stuck with gazing out the window for the whole forty-minute ride to the next town. As they got off, Allen noticed that the town atmosphere was almost unbearable like it was trying to choke him with the air he breathed.

'Allen-senpai…?' Amber asked with concern lacing his voice as Allen glanced at him as he noticed the younger boy frown slightly.

'L-let's just get this over with,' Allen declared as he stormed away from the station with Amber and Jesse close behind him. The finder had told them that he'd wait at the station, a load off Allen's shoulders come to think of it.

'Blimey, what a boring town?' Jesse exclaimed out of nowhere earning him several scowls from the locals in the area. Allen rolled his eyes but couldn't help but think that Jesse was in fact right. Was Komui even sure that there were akuma in this town?

Then Allen winced when he felt an invisible weight bare down on his shoulders, threatening to make him fall over. But as suddenly as it came, it left leaving him confused and gazing around cautiously.

His senses hadn't let him down before but he knew if they were not careful things were going to get a whole lot interesting.

'Ah! Look Allen-senpai,' Amber rushed in front of him and to one of the stalls that were displaying their goods. The boy was pointing to a particular item on the table. Allen glanced at it just to get his mind off the dreaded feeling and stared at the little pin sitting on a velvet cushion.

It was a small silver spider sitting in a thin web adorning the top of the pin. Its eyes were gleaming fake red gems but Allen doubted that Amber even cared.

'What did the little ankle biter find now?' Jesse said in Allen's ear causing him to hit the guy who dared invade his personal space. Jesse winced but still managed to get a glance of the pin.

'Creepy, for your sister right Amber?' Amber nodded pleasantly humming as he bought the item with money he pulled from his pocket.

'She loves these types of things,' Amber didn't seem to catch the sarcasm in Jesse's voice but Allen rewarded the idiot with another jab in the abdomen.

'Ow! No need to get violent mate,' Jesse winced as Allen just glared at him.

'I am not your mate!'

'Ignore him Allen-senpai, he calls stranger that just wait till you meet Lavi-senpai,' Amber chipped in as the boy continued walking down the street. Allen frowned, wondering what that could possibly mean.

….

Hours passed and they were sitting in a café enjoying some coffee and cake, well he and Jesse purchased that while Amber helped himself to a small hot chocolate and sandwich.

They had turned up with nothing and according to Jesse, their uniform acted like beacons to draw the akuma towards them. Allen still didn't like the idea of having to do an adult's job but Komui said it was suppose to be a simple task.

But he didn't tell them about the dread he constant felt while they were wondering around aimlessly in the streets.

'Maybe they left town,' Amber spoke up, he was glancing at his last piece of sandwich as if wondering whether to eat it or not. Jesse leaned back in his chair catching the railing behind him.

'The bastards might just wait till it is nightfall then swamp us,' Allen noticed Amber tensed but said nothing afterwards as Jesse stood up suddenly glaring across the road.

Allen followed his gaze just as he saw a shadow dash within an alleyway. But judging from the twilight, he could be absolutely sure if it were human or something else. Jesse seemed to reach for something within his blazer as Allen caught the glint of red in the light of the café.

'They showed up,' Allen couldn't disagree with that as the chest tightened and head throb. He hadn't felt something like this ever before as he stood up along with Amber.

They silently paid for their food and left the café so that they occupants still enjoying a late night cup of tea were not involved in the crossfire. Allen could tell that the further they went the more sinister the town looked when it was almost pitch black.

'Oi, you bloody buggers, 'ow bout showing yourself since we know you're here,' Jesse pointed towards the rooftop of one particular house where the roof was in slight shambles and the windows were dim.

Allen felt a jolt of electricity that made him quickly turn around as people began to mindlessly walk into the street. Their faces were void of any familiar emotion as Amber activated his innocence.

The young boy's innocence was as long as he was and the curved blade glinted in the dim light. Allen just stood between the to observing it all, at least it made sense why he had been this bothered.

What Komui had assumed was a small group of level ones was in fact a small army of akuma. Man, was Allen going to teach that man to be more observant before sending him off on an assignment when he couldn't activate.

Allen glanced at Jesse who was still staring up at the roof.

'Looks like I have to drag you out mate,' Jesse dug his hands into the sides of his blazer before flinging his innocence. The small projectiles zipped through the air as quick as Allen could keep up with and saw them slice through the roof's tiles as if they were butter.

But that wasn't what caught Allen's attention as he saw a blur jump off the roof and down onto the ground before them. Jesse was grinning like an idiot as the thing stood tall.

Allen froze as he took in the details of this akuma. He knew it was one but he definitely could tell the difference in power that this thing had compared to the mindless zombies around it. It was taller than a human and its slim bodily appearance looked like that of a medieval knight.

Amber seemed to have caught sight of it as he spoke rather urgently.

'Jesse-senpai, don't engage it's a level three!' Jesse didn't seem to listen as his innocence whizzed back at him and he caught them.

'Bloody oath, mate,' Jesse lunged forward, disregarding Amber's warnings as he sent one of his innocence towards the akuma and used the other to stop his head from being sliced off.

'Just ignore the idiot, we have bigger problems,' Allen quickly intervened as the people around them burst into the large spherical akuma simply known as a level one. The large cannons protruding from its body were turned to the pair and fired. Allen and Amber were quick to dodge as the younger of the pair, ducked and rushed followed, slicing several akuma in the process.

Allen was slightly impressed by the younger boy's athletically ability but still wondered why he was only forced to do five laps? He shrugged it off as several level ones faced him.

Great, with this much pressure, how on earth was he to activate his innocence? Allen flipped back before jumping on a nearby fence and barreled into the nearest level one, knocking its aim on Amber and sending the bullet harmlessly skyward.

'Allen-senpai, don't get too involved without your innocence…'

'Shut up already!' Allen demanded as Amber closed his mouth and destroyed many more akuma sent his way. Allen glanced around just in time to see a level one point a gun his way and he dove to one side before regaining his footing.

He held his left hand away from his body but still hadn't a clue how to fucking activated it. It was pissing him off so much he leapt forward a swung his leg out, denting one of the cannons before jumping back and landing on another akuma.

Allen quickly jumped down again next to Amber who was panting heavily. Jesse joined them shortly after, baring nasty wounds all over his body.

'Heh, this is fucking awesome!' Jesse sneered as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth before Allen caught sight of his wrists. They seemed to be in the worse condition because the blue-purple discoloration only meant the bruising was occurring a little too quickly.

'Jesse-senpai!' Amber went to say more but Jesse just placed his finger over the boy's mouth to stop him.

'It's okay little ankle biter, just focus on getting the rest of them,' Allen blinked before he actually noticed what Jesse had been up to this entire time and nodded. Jesse seemed to have caught the movement before dashing back at the level three hovering nearby. Amber seemed adamant in following him but Allen gripped the younger boy's arm.

'Amber let him go, he's using himself as a distraction so that we can finish off the level ones,' Allen said before letting go of Amber's arm. The boy wasn't exactly satisfied with his answer but he let it go before holding his scythe in front of him.

'Innocence level two unleash, Soul reaper…' Amber muttered as his innocence began to glow an unearthly green before he jumped forward and swung the blade horizontal. Allen could only watch as each and every level one in the surrounding area was destroyed into clouds of smoke.

Amber landed on the ground but the akuma around them had significantly decreased. Allen was wide-eyed in surprise but couldn't help but wipe the smile from his face… maybe he was actually enjoying this despite hating the fact that they were suppose to be disciples of God.

'Allen-senpai!' Amber had turned to him and was running to him wildly pointing to something behind him. Allen just vaguely registered the presence behind him as he went to turn around.

A blur darted in front of him, and the glint of a blade before Allen managed to piece together what had just happened.

The level three had somehow got away from Jesse and had attacked him, Amber having seen the attack coming went to stop it with his scythe…

'Shit, Amber!' Allen was hit with his realization as he saw a purple blood pierce straight through Amber's upper torso. In turn, the level three had its arm severed just above the elbow and the scythe had dug into its side.

The akuma seemed just as stunned as he was but jumped back letting the young boy's body fall to the ground. Amber's scythe was still in its side as Allen caught Amber.

'The brat surprised me but at least I have this to show the master,' the akuma's voice crackled as it pulled out the innocence before darting away.

'Amber, Allen!' Jesse was running towards them the best he could but he seemed to have a grip on the situation even if Allen was still processing.

'God damnit alllll!' Jesse leapt out of sight, probably in pursuit of the level three as Allen was left with Amber, hacking horribly on the ground in front of him.

The blood didn't seem to stop as Allen clasped his hands over the wound, trying to add as much pressure to it. But he knew it was hopeless because while he was pressing his hands over the wound he could feel how deep it was. The sternum and ribs surrounding the wound were cracked and Allen realized the blood was coming straight from the boy's heart.

Allen's hands twitched and he reluctantly pulled away, Amber was beyond saving now. He felt like a complete idiot for not realizing that the battle wasn't over and Amber was the one to suffer from it.

'A-Allen… -senpai,' Amber croaked as his hand weakly twitched to the pocket stitched about his left breast. The emblem of the school was covered in his blood and it just filled Allen with even more hatred.

But he had to put that to the side as he gently reached into the pocket and pulled out the pin Amber had purchased for his sister.

'G-give it to her… a-and say s-sorry for me…' Allen blinked as he saw the life in the boy's eyes fade to nothing and he was left to stare into the empty void of his eyes.

'The bloody blighter got away, innocence and all, how's the…?' Jesse stopped as he looked at the lifeless body lying besides Allen. He looked crestfallen and slightly unsure as he stared at Allen.

He didn't even care if Jesse was here, at least he could look after the body while he dealt with the rest of the akuma.

'Take care of him,' Allen said but it was more like an order but the harshness of his voice. Jesse didn't seem to want to protest to that as Allen slowly got to his feet and faced the remaining akuma.

Allen knew one thing, those bastards were going to pay as he held his left hand out the dull glowing cross, now blazing with as much rage as its accommodator. In the other, Allen held the pin Amber had bought for someone he loved.

The akuma seemed to be shrinking back almost in fear as Allen's rage emanated from the innocence embedded in his left arm. Then the light erupted and a giant steel-like claw was revealed. Allen wasted no time as he lunged towards them swiping every single akuma that came within range of his claw.

Only a few escaped Allen's mindless slaughtering before the boy deactivated his arm and slowly walked back to Jesse, who was as stunned as ever.

'Mate… don't ever let me meet you in a dark alley,' Jesse said as Allen showed a ghost of a smile, he assumed that Jesse was trying his best to cheer him up but failed miserably at it. Jesse sighed as he stood up once more.

'I'll get the finder to hook up a link to Komui's officer so he can deal with this,' Jesse turned on his heel and ran away despite the injures he had sustained while battling the level three.

Allen was once again left with the lifeless corpse… it was only a matter of time before this was he as he held his hand over the boy's sightless eyes and closed them one final time.

….

**I finished but I feel slightly sad about it… I hope you enjoyed it (despite the events in this chapter) and will hopefully leave a pleasant review to read.**

**CHEERS XD**


	9. Chapter 9

….

Allen was waiting in a private room they had rented at the back of a pub. The finder was there as he waited at the door with a scowl on his face. Jesse was on the other side of the room, speaking solemnly with the chief on the phone.

'Yeah, there was a large mob of level ones but there was also a level three…'

'It fatally injured the little ankle biter and made off with his innocence… tried tracking the bloody bastard down but I lost him,' Allen only caught snippets of the conversation but he could easily tell Jesse was frustrated by the way he curled and uncurled his fists.

He glanced away then hoping to be distracted with whatever was outside the window. But there was nothing but a small beer garden with several chairs and tables scattered across the pavement.

Allen found it absolutely boring and held the small pin up to the early morning light. Amber's body had been taken to a morgue for cremation and nothing more. No funeral service or a farewell gathering. Just turned to ash and left to be forgotten in the dark.

To say it infuriated him would be an understatement for Allen, in fact he was fuming as the hatred inside just reached boiling point.

'Oi, mate, Komui just gave me another mission and has asked to talk to you,' Jesse said, the blood and dirt that had once covered him was gone and his wounds bandaged. Allen just grunted as he pocketed the pin and walked over to the phone lying beside the receiver.

'What?'

'That isn't a nice way to greet someone Allen,' came Komui's voice, the man on the other end sounded up beat but Allen growled causing the man to fall silent.

'I'm sorry about the passing of Amber Siphon, he was great on the field…'

'Cut the crap, you forced him to fight and now he died doing something he didn't want to do in the first place!' Allen shouted into the mouthpiece.

'You don't have to yell… I'm fully aware of this, having to send my precious Lenalee is hard enough without sending others,' Komui tried to sound empathetic but Allen wasn't one to take any sort of pity.

'Shut up,' Allen snarled as the other end went silent.

'… Allen you are to return to school, however, those here are unaware of Amber's death and we'd like to keep it that way, especially since his sister has returned,' that last part was barely audible for Allen as he frowned. His hand instinctively went to the pin in his pocket. Amber's sister was there, back from her mission and he wasn't suppose to tell her about what happened to Amber.

'That's shit,'

'Well that shit is beyond my reach to change, it's to protect family members from becoming akuma,' Allen went rigid as he heard a single reason. He wasn't sure if it was the only one but he wanted to keep Amber's promise… it was far more important to him than some order placed down by heartless bastards.

'Understood Allen?' Allen recoiled having slightly forgotten that he was still suppose to take to Komui.

'... Yes,'

'Good, see you in an hour,' Komui hung up.

….

Allen walked through the corridors behind Lenalee, he had ignored the girl ever since he arrived and he knew she began to suspect something as soon as he entered Komui's office.

'Hello Allen~… a smile would be nice you know,' Komui gloated but Allen remained in his sulky mood while the man chose to continue on.

'So I heard you were able to activate your innocence, congratulations!' Komui said with a big smile but it just made Allen uncomfortable about it so he glanced away. He couldn't think that activating your innocence when someone died was worth any celebrating.

Komui must have caught his darken mood and changed the subject.

'I suppose there's nothing else to it so I'll see you when your next assignment comes up,' Allen was already leaving the room at the time when Komui hurried the last part. He couldn't even stand hearing that guy talk anymore as he wondered off to get some fresh air.

Maybe that was all he needed as he headed to the roof, following the exact same route Amber had shown him. Allen climbed the staircase slowly, wanting to delay his approach on the roof.

When he was close he hear a voice singing tunefully above him.

'… A pocket full of posy, a tissue, a tissue… we all fall down!' Allen frowned wondering if anyone else knew about the rooftop just as he reached the door and opened it to notice a girl singing the next line of the classic tune. Her charcoal grey hair danced in the breeze and only once she was finished did she noticed that she wasn't alone.

'Am…' she paused, Allen presumed that the girl was expecting Amber to show up. That must mean that she was his sister… Musk if Allen remembered his conversation several days ago.

'Oh, you must be the new kid, I'm Musk Siphon,' she smiled at him but Allen couldn't even force himself to smile and exchange kind words with her.

'… _However, those here are unaware of Amber's death and we'd like to keep it that way, especially since his sister has returned_…'

Allen flinched when he remembered Komui's words but Musk hadn't seemed to notice.

'Did you know, Amber and I always came here whenever we weren't on an assignment?' Musk continued babbling, she seemed to have quite a naïve yet bubbly personality compared to her much quieter sibling. Allen didn't say anything but still she was oblivious to it.

'We'd always take about the homework and the tasks and even how difficult our assignments were…' she paused, Allen was hoping that maybe she'd have realized that something was wrong.

'By the way… where is he?' There it was the question Allen struggled to come up with an answer for.

'Dead,' Musk seemed to pale slightly as his answer but then laughed as if he had cracked the worse joke possibly.

'Heh, that's a good one, now where is he?'

'I'm sorry Musk but Amber died yesterday, he's probably been cremated already,' Allen hated having to go against Komui's orders but he wasn't going to become one of their puppets. He slowly came up to her, watching the young girl pale to a sickly white.

Allen dipped his hand into his pocket and retrieved the pin Amber had bought and pinned it into her uniform. Musk barely registered him doing it.

'How… How did he die?'

'The assignment was suppose to be a simple one according to Komui, unfortunately none of us expected a level three to show up… I got careless and Amber jumped in the way of its attack, it happened so fast,' Allen just watched her burst into silent tears.

'No, no, no that's not how I wanted it, we were supposed to die together…' Musk whimpered as she dropped to her knees. Allen had never been in such a position before and he must admit it was very awkward for him.

'That's probably why he said for me to say 'sorry',' Allen muttered under his breath as he finally realized why Amber had said such a thing before passing. Musk just wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up.

'Thank you… for taking care of him even if you didn't know him long,' Musk fingered the pin Allen had placed in her shirt… maybe she had noticed after all. Then she walked away after that leaving Allen alone on the rooftop. He couldn't help but ponder about whether he had done the right thing or not?

Hmm, oh well, he'll probably in for it later from Komui.

….

The next day had found Allen zoning out as usual during his classes, this time it was in Mr. Yeegar's history class. The old man seemed to be droning on about the Holocaust and some guy called Hitler, which Allen really couldn't be bothered about.

He'd either gaze out the window or around the room. The class was small, with Lenalee, Kanda, Daisya and Limina. Phoenix had once again found herself doing her punishment in the library so there was no way he'd be seeing her anytime soon. But most importantly, he hadn't seen Musk since he had told her about her brother's death.

'Mr. Walker, can you please tell me the year that the Second World War took place?' Allen blinked out of his daze as everyone turned to look at him, sitting in the back row.

'Ah…?' Allen glanced at his textbook trying to find the right answer before he was saved when Komui came through the door and the man did not seem to be happy. His gaze was particular on Allen.

'Musk has gone missing and we assume that she has exited the school grounds,' Komui said before flinging a soft apology to Mr. Yeegar. The other kids in the room glanced at each other as Allen just glanced out the window.

'Are you sure brother?' Lenalee asked from her position in the front row.

'Positive and because of the nature of her innocence she was able to slip past security… footage has been alter from around midnight,' that caught Allen's attention as he turned back to look at Komui.

'Something must have happened for her to disappear… Allen?'

'What?' Allen replied coldly as he matched the chief's gaze as his glasses slid down his nose.

'You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with this?' Allen sighed, there really was no point in lying.

'Yes, I told her the truth that you denied her,' Allen snapped.

'Allen, that information is classified…'

'Hah! We're the one's fighting this fucking war and you'd expect me to kept Amber's death a secret,' maybe he overdid it as there were several gasps in the room, most of which came from Lenalee.

'Brother!' Komui ignored his sister and just stared at Allen. The boy rolled his eyes and gazed out the window.

'Allen, follow me please,' was all Komui said and Allen wasn't going to argue with that as he followed the chief from the room. They walked in silence before entering another room.

It happened to be a music room of all things and there was only one other person present… Marian Cross and his golden golem that just flew off his shoulder and landed on Allen's head.

'Cross, we have a little issue with Allen Walker, I'll leave him to you to deal with,' Komui left the room as Allen silently fumed about being in this man's presence once again.

'For Komui to be that pissed, I would safely assume that you broke quite the rule, no?' Cross was being a smart-ass about this as Allen took a seat in one of the chairs present in the room. Cross just sighed when he knew that he wasn't going to get an answer from Allen and took hold of the side on the bookshelf he stood by.

Before Allen knew what happened, Cross had tipped the entire shelf over sending the books over the floor.

'Clean this up,' Allen's jaw dropped when he heard this.

'Excuse me?' Allen exclaimed with annoyance, it was clear that Cross was the culprit as the man just glared daggers at him.

'I said clean this up, you're lucky Komui won't report this to Rouvelier,' Cross just took a seat at the desk as Allen grizzled but got up anyway just to get this over and done with. This was probably just the beginning of his punishment.

….

**Hmm, wrote this quickly but updates might become slow afterwards… due to having to write other stories and whatnot… but hey I was on a roll this time! C:**

**Please REVIEW!**


	10. Chapter 10

….

Allen growled as he carried a large box of books, papers and stationary. It had been like this all week because it was his punishment for giving out classified information to his supposed comrades.

It was absolutely ridiculous but he couldn't complain about the work. It was more to do with the person who was dishing out the punishment randomly and that was none other than Marian Cross.

Just the other morning, Tim had woken him up to do 100 laps around the oval. The worse part was that it was still 3 in the morning and for Allen, he wasn't particularly a morning person. It had been dark and there weren't any lights on so Allen had lost count at how many times he hit or tripped over the benches that lay near the tracks.

This was beyond torture!

But right now he was carrying the box to the music room because Cross had been too lazy to go retrieve the darn thing in the first place.

As soon as Allen reached the door, he balanced the box with one hand and opened the door with the other and entered the room.

'Took you long enough idiot, now put that stuff away on the shelves,' Cross was in the room, leaning against the windowsill but didn't seem to be gazing at anything in particular. Allen wasn't even sure if he was looking at anything at all but Allen just growled and walked towards the shelves.

'Yeah, yeah…' Allen deliberately dropped the box at his feet sending stuff sprawling across the floor.

'Oi, watch it!'

'Then carry your own stuff!' Allen retorted back before kneeling down and picking through the paper and books that spilt from the box.

Cross just frowned and glanced away knowing that he wasn't going to hear anything else from Allen.

Allen in turn, did his best to ignore the bastard standing by the window and continued to sort through the paper, which he realized were music, scores and loose notes on theology.

He spotted a file under the piano in the room and reached for it and pulled it towards him. As he did this, something slipped from the paper covers and landed at his feet. It had been a photograph of two people.

One of them looked like a much younger Cross and a young woman with dark hair clutching his arm in a playful manner. Both were facing the camera, though Cross looked like he was about to murder whoever was holding the camera.

But before Allen could get a closer look of the woman, the photo was snatched from his hand.

'Back to work, brat,' Cross was standing over him as the man tucked the photo into the inside pocket of his coat.

'Was she a girlfriend of yours?' Allen couldn't help but ask curiously but Cross eyed him dangerously.

'Don't go looking into people's business, now clean this mess because Komui will be seeing you in his office,' Allen grizzled as Cross walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

….

Allen finished up quickly and went to Komui's office where he saw Kanda sitting on the couch with a rather irritated expression. Komui was as usual behind his desk and eyed Allen carefully as the boy entered the room.

'I'm glad Cross passed the message onto you and I'd hope you learned from this,' Allen rolled his eyes and just stood behind the couch not wanting to sit beside the jerk.

'What do you want now?' Allen muttered as he stared back at Komui. The man simply shook his head and ignored the question.

'I think you've had enough punishment enough so I'll send you on a night patrol around the local town,' the Supervisor spoke while Allen held back a harsh retort, which included the airhead seated in front of him. It might serve as an excuse to lengthen his punishment that Allen didn't want happening.

Besides that, it might be fun to some extent.

'Of course the chances of running into an akuma is basically impossible but still, be careful,' Komui chirped happily but Allen just looked at Kanda. He still couldn't believe he had to spend the whole entire time with the longhaired she-man!

….

They walked out the gate in silence; Allen got the feeling that the longhaired boy hated the situation as much as he did. But even so, it would mean force cooperation with the guy could be risky.

'This is where we split up,' Allen paused and glanced back at Kanda before he sniggered.

'Defying Komui already, Bakanda,' Allen saw the boy's eye twitch before a deadly glare was sent his way.

'If I have to spend one more minute in you presence, I'll go insane!' Kanda snapped before storming off in the opposite direction. Allen puffed with annoyance; he was going to say the exact same thing to him!

But as long as he didn't see the jerk until the time they were expected back, it'll be a blessing. Allen turned on his foot and walked off through the simple layout of streets. He could vaguely remember it as the one that Reever and Toma had led him down when he first arrived here.

Though at this time, the sun was beginning to set and according to Komui it was about the time that akuma would show. Even so, Allen still didn't see a point in this patrolling other then an utter waste of his time.

Honestly, he could think of other things much better to do… if Amber had been there…

Allen glanced away from a group of teenagers his age having fun. It wasn't because he was jealous but more to the point that they were staring at him. Stupid bloody uniform having to stand out more than he personally wanted to.

He continued to ignore them and moved on to the next junction ahead.

'Come on girls, we need to hurry back to the motel,' Allen paused mid step and swiveled around to see another group of teenagers. But unlike the last lot, they were all girls around his age and wearing a foreign uniform. A middle-aged woman led the group wearing a well-pressed suit and hair caught up in a rather tight bun.

Allen rolled his eyes only because he hadn't a clue why another school was in the area. Wasn't it just Our Sacred Heart Academy? Besides that, there still wasn't anything that was immediately dangerous in the area so he decided to head back the way he came.

Then he froze when he noticed on of the girls looking straight at him. Her dark eyes danced in the fading light while a mischievous grin threatened to split her face. Allen frowned at her and walked on seemingly confused by stopping suddenly for something as trivial as that.

But still it left his wary… for what? Allen couldn't tell yet but he didn't like dwelling on it and entered a different street.

The patrol was quiet as people progressively headed inside and called it quits for the day. But Allen was still wondering around, starting to regret not bringing a coat along as he felt the nipping cold chill the air.

A sneeze violently jerked his body to a halt and wiped his nose on his sleeve before shuddering. Yep, this was definitely not his favorite part as he continued to make his way back to the school gate until he realized something.

Where was the gate?

Allen groaned aloud as he ruffled his dark hair not even caring if he lost the tie. Simply great, first he was cold and now he couldn't meet Kanda to end their patrol! He couldn't help but question if Fate had it for him and he said Fate not God for good reason.

'Lost are we?' Allen stopped and glared at whoever suggested such a thing only to find the same girl from the foreign school.

'Shouldn't you be with your teacher and mind your own business,' he retorted in a low voice. The girl just chuckled and wistfully skipped across the concrete towards him.

'They're boring but when I heard we were coming to the town were the Exorcist School was, I couldn't help myself,' she was giggling madly now and Allen wasn't so sure about this. But what worried him more was the fact that she knew about the school.

From what he heard, no one except those within the school knew it was for exorcists.

Allen's eyes narrowed further.

'Who are you?' maybe he should have said 'what' because he couldn't sense anything from her so she couldn't possibly be an akuma. The girl paused and cocked her head to the side.

'I'm a lost schoolgirl,'

'Yeah right, unlike me you don't seem lost and weren't you with your group a few hours ago,' Allen was hoping to catch the girl off guard but it would seem that he was having a bad day because she looked almost gleeful.

'Heh~ you're quite the observant one but I wonder… how observant?' Allen went rigid, what did she mean by that?

Suddenly he got that familiar bad feeling and he flipped back avoid an attack, forming a crater in the ground.

'Akuma…' Allen frowned at the crater because he saw nothing but his instincts were persuading him otherwise. The girl just watched on with slight amusement while he was trying to figure out what had just happened.

Allen felt the wind whistle past him and he knew the danger was now behind him. He focused for his activation and grabbed whatever was there but he felt his claws just barely scraping across something!

'Huh?' Allen whipped his head around but felt a solid presence meet his side and flung him across the road. Once he had finished tumbling, Allen was struggling to find some sort of tactic to beat this invisible nuisance!

'I'm surprised to actually find an exorcist who can transform part of their body like that,' Allen glanced at the girl still calmly standing there watching the whole darn thing! But it was almost chilling about what she had said.

In his distraction, Allen felt yet another painful blow land on the side of his head and he was then sent into a nearby garden. He gritted his teeth trying to focus beyond the throbbing pain and blood slithering down his face. Allen had just about enough of this thing.

Feeling the approach of his opponent Allen pushed off the ground and meet the thing half way. The streetlight glinted against his gigantic claw before Allen pushed the bastard away.

He heard the thing stumble about as it was flung back. Allen smirked when he heard it dash off to the side possibly hoping for an opening behind or beside him. Turning on his foot his swiped the air and slashed the thing into pieces.

Allen took a deep breath and exhaled as the thing finally appeared in a seeable form front of him.

'So you are a level two akuma…'

'You surprise me exorcist,' Allen whipped around and still found the girl staring inquisitively at him. She was walking over calmly, not something a normal human would do if they had seen something being destroyed in front of them. Allen seemed to doubt this girl's humanity.

'Even an experienced exorcist would have trouble with that type of akuma,' Allen couldn't tell if he should feel pleased or offended… was she calling him an amateur?

'Who are you?' Allen demanded once again as the girl paused and seemed to look at the dark sky briefly.

'Road Kamelot~ now can I have your name?' Allen wasn't so sure if he should but even so what would the difference be.

'Allen,'

'Heheh~ nice to meet you, I better go now but it was nice playing!' Okay now Allen was confused again, what did she mean by that? She wasn't even fighting!

'Oi Moyashi, what the fuck is going on?' Allen felt himself boil when he saw the familiar longhaired bastard coming towards him.

'Akuma,' Allen answered halfheartedly as the boy surveyed the damage and growled.

'Idiot, Komui's going to be pissed when he finds out!' Allen glared at Kanda.

'How about trying to defeat an invisible opponent and tell me how I was to kill it without causing damage!' Allen flared as he sensed a vivid pulse course through his left arm. Kanda just seemed more pissed than originally thought, the guy's hand firmly on the sword at his waist.

'Mind saying that again!'

'Stop it the both of you,' Allen saw Lenalee fall from he sky and kicked Kanda straight in the head. He winced at the thought that if he wasn't injured he might have gotten hit as well.

'You're both half an hour late and I don't want to hear any excuses now follow me!' Lenalee demanded. Allen was surprised that the kind girl that he saw on his first day was just as controlling as her brother.

….

**Another chapter done and I've introduced one of our favorite Noahs, Road! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please leave a REVIEW! XD**


	11. Chapter 11

….

Once again Allen was stuck carrying books but not because Cross told him to. It was more of Komui's idea of punishment that Allen was now heading for the library to help Phoenix. But what infuriated him more was that Kanda was let off with a warning and was given an assignment to someplace in Spain.

He reached his destination and pushed the door open with his shoulder and walked into a surprisingly massive library. Allen had never been in one before but by the looks of this there seemed to be almost every book in here… maybe?

Wondering in, he saw no sign of the redheaded female who was suppose to be doing her punishment in here. But Allen wasn't going to call for her anytime soon as he dumped the books at the reception desk and began exploring.

There were aisle upon aisle of books stacked as high as the ceiling that raised many metres above his head.

'Hiya!' A face suddenly dropped in front of him from the ladder Allen was about to pass under. The shock caused him to back up and trip over a stack of books behind him while the person giggled.

'Ya really know how to pull a face,' the person laughed as Allen felt heat rise in his cheeks.

'Shut up Phoenix!' Allen glared, as Phoenix remained upside-down on the rung of the ladder. She pouted at him before reaching for a book below her.

'What brings ya here?' she asked as she took one glance at the book and slid a few centimeters away from him. Allen continued staring with a frown on his face wondering if the girl had realized that the book was the wrong way around.

'Are you familiar with the library systems?'

'No, I'm just killing time while Bookman and his apprentice come back from their assignment in China,' Phoenix replied rather bored as she placed the book on the shelves before staring at him with a smug look.

'Did ya get in trouble?'

'Why would you care?' The girl's smirk grew wider.

'Because no one gets sent to the library for no apparent reason other than punishment or free time… which is rather rare these days,' she grumbled the last part as a frown graced her clearly defined features. She grabbed the side of the shelf and pushed the ladder towards him.

Allen ducked as she whizzed over him and stopped before picking up a book and placing that on the shelf without a glance.

'So you're messing up the system because…?' Allen began wondering as Phoenix stopped what she was doing and looked at him with one of her sinister smiles.

'Heh~ that's easy, I'm just….' She paused as her eyebrows knitted tightly together. Phoenix dropped from the ladder and walked over to the end of the aisle. Allen was actually curious about her change of behavior and followed her.

They both glanced down towards the reception desk and spotted someone enter the library. The shadow quivered on the floor before Allen noticed a boy step into view.

'Long time no see Phoenix!' The boy exclaimed aloud when he had spotted them. Allen slinked back as the boy started running towards them with his arms open. Phoenix growled with annoyance and ducked under his widespread arms and elbowed him right in the elbow.

'It was too short,' Phoenix snarled while Allen was surprised by her harshness towards this boy who was now on the floor clutching his stomach.

'Who is he?' Allen spoke up as Phoenix looked back at him over her shoulder.

'Lavi,' she spoke harshly before looking back just as Lavi got up using the shelf as support.

'Do you have to be so mean, Phoenix?' Lavi winced before finally noticing Allen standing behind her.

'You're the new kid right? I heard Cross brought you here,'

'You're point?' Allen retorted not liking how this kid spoke of Cross. But Lavi took a step back with his hands in front of him.

'Look I'm not picking a fight, just asking,' Lavi soon grinned before putting his shoulder over Allen.

'So? How's life here at the Academy?'

'Shit,' Lavi released his grip looking rather surprised by Allen's response. Phoenix looked to be holding back and instead laughed aloud falling backwards. Allen and Lavi stared at her as she recovered before Lavi spoke in a low voice.

'She gets that from her mother who lives in an psychiatric ward of a prison…' A fist soon connected with Lavi face and sent him into the shelves, shattering misplaced books onto the floor.

'What did I say about being quiet, Junior~?' Allen grimaced as heat radiated from Phoenix who stepped past him while Lavi looked like a corner animal.

'W-wait, Komui has asked for us to meet in his office!' Phoenix paused the heat dying away, letting Allen breath again.

'Really…?'

'Y-yeah, I wouldn't lie,' Allen frowned at that wondering if Lavi was just trying to save his own skin.

'Yay, assignment time!' Phoenix suddenly cheered and gripped Allen by the arm before rushing out of the library with Lavi close behind.

….

Luckily, Lavi had been right when he said that Komui had asked for them. He was in there waiting with Lenalee as the Phoenix walked in dragging Allen behind her and Lavi had a presumptuous grin on his face.

'I'm glad the three of you made it here in one piece,' Komui spoke as Allen was finally able to wrench his hand free from Phoenix's grip, the girl seemed unaware of her own strength.

'Do we get an assignment now?' Phoenix asked as she leaned on Komui desk expectantly. The man simply smiled at her and patted her head as if she was a toddler.

'Of course, but I'd like the four of you to go together and investigate Saint Petersburg in Russia. According to the finders, strange lights have appeared in the Neva river only at night,' Allen stared around him counting those in the red and grey uniform. Phoenix, Lavi, himself… that was three before his eyes fell on the only person who was wearing the uniform, Lenalee.

'I'll be accompanying you there,' There was a loud groan coming from Phoenix as Lenalee glared at her before turning to Allen with a smile.

'Let's do our best,' she held her hand out to him but like the first time they met, Allen just stared at it briefly and turned away. Phoenix seemed to snicker, whispering something to Lavi while Lenalee pretended that she couldn't hear it.

'Enough bickering and Allen please get along with the rest of them, you need to learn to depend on others,' Komui advised Allen sternly as the boy snorted.

'I'm not the type to resort to dependencies,' Allen reproached as he walked out of the room.

….

From the countryside of England, it took them two weeks to reach their destination but Allen couldn't have been more grateful for it. During the whole trip Lavi had bombarded him with questions, rather personal questions.

'Come on Al, give me something to go on,' Lavi whined as they began wondering out of the station at St Petersburg. But Allen really had no time to even deal with this guy as he began to get a sinking feeling that began making him feel edgy.

'NO!' Allen fumed angrily hoping that the bloody idiot would just leave him alone! But no, he still had no piece until Phoenix tugged the redhead by the ear and drew him back. It would seem that the girl was just as sick of the guy's voice as he was.

'Remember Lavi that the fire alarms won't save ya this time if ya do not shut up!' Phoenix's threatening tone was just frightening and Allen was thankful her rage wasn't targeted at him.

'Relax Phoenix, Lavi was only being polite,' Lenalee tried to deter an infuriated Phoenix.

'More like an annoying usagi as Kanda says,' Phoenix snickered letting Lavi's ear go and stormed ahead, barging past several people as she went. Allen sighed and followed slipping through those who were bickering something in Russian.

'Lights in the Neva river… couldn't it just be some late night scuba divers or something?' Allen murmured under his breath as he recalled why he had been sent on the pathetic assignment in the first place.

'That's what the finders first thought but through several investigations they are confident that it is the cause of innocence,' Lavi was rather confident with his words but even so Allen didn't believe him the least bit. Lenalee looked up from the booklet she holding and snapped it closed.

'The finders should be meeting us here,' she spoke in a soft tone before three men soon approached them. They were wearing the distinguishable tanned coats that Toma wore so Allen was certain that they were finders. Not far behind them, Phoenix was there as well and she seemed far from happy.

'I'm glad Komui sent you over, I'm Cody,' Lavi shook Cody's hand before turning to the other two finders.

'They are Richard and William, over the past few days, we've been having sightings of akuma within the area just when we were about to mount a retrieval,' Allen hummed wistfully drawing the attention of Lavi and Lenalee but luckily they didn't questioned it. Allen had thought something was off and it was because akuma were around.

'What do you want us to do about it?' Allen said coolly as the finder scratched the back of his head nervously.

'Well, we hoped you would do the retrieval for use...'

'No, no and no! The blasted Komui should know better then sending me on a mission that has to do with fucking water!' Allen swore he saw heat radiating from the teenager but didn't voice this out as Phoenix looked like she'd fry the next person to speak to her.

'You can always stay on the boat, Phoenix,' Lenalee said as if trying to relax the fiery girl but it did little to chill her down. Phoenix was pointing her finger right between Lenalee's eyes.

'I'd get that smug look off ya face before I scorch ya eyebrows off!' Phoenix threatened as Allen couldn't help but take her seriously considering the relationship of the two.

'Well the sooner we get this over with the better, right Al?' Allen felt Lavi wrap his arm over his shoulder again. So he elbowed the guy in the guts.

'Honestly, haven't you heard of personal space?' Allen exclaimed as he stared down as the crouching Lavi.

'Right, we'll head out tonight and finish this retrieval, but only two will go down in the water, who'll stay in the boat?' Allen shot his head up as well as Phoenix so it was easily arranged. Lenalee and Lavi would go retrieve the innocence while he and Phoenix protected the boat.

….

Later that night, the finders led them towards the waft where the boat was. It was a rickety thing but was large enough and 'safe' enough to travel with. Allen was humored but the way Phoenix put up a fit over getting into the boat despite agreeing to protect it.

'I'll burn this thing later,' Phoenix grizzled once they had managed to get her on the boat and Cody wore a look of concern as if he heard it too. Allen didn't mind the trip but the water seemed different during the night. It was black and it badly light that they had to guide themselves with high-beamed lights.

'This thing feels like another layer of skin,' Lavi commented as he struggled to pull the wetsuit over his body. Lenalee had the pulled the suit up to her waist and continued to pull the thing over her one-piece bathing suit. Allen was glad he chose boat duty.

'It's rather tight,' she winced as she slipped her arms into the long sleeves.

'The waters around here can get quite chilly here, the suit is tailored to maintain your body temperature even in sub-zero waters,' William explained helping Lenalee close the zip at the back of the suit.

'It's design was Komui's idea, especially this one, it'll allow you to use your innocence,' the finder added to Lenalee who went a light shade of red. Allen rolled his eyes and wondered around to the bridge of the craft where Cody was navigating the boat.

'How far to go?' Allen asked as Cody pointed towards a part of the river where it seemed to glow of blues and greens. Allen gaped at what he was seeing and unfortunately couldn't hide it from the finder.

'First time retrieving innocence,' Allen snapped out of his awe and frowned at Cody.

'Yeah, so what?'

'Nothing… we'll stop here,' Cody slowed the boat down till it came to a halt, bobbing up and down on the waves before releasing the anchor. Allen and the finder stepped back out of the cabin where Lenalee and Lavi were waiting patiently to begin.

They were equipped with the essentials when scuba diving but it didn't seem as bulky as what Allen had seen. The tanks on their backs were smaller and thinner but the tubing and what not was basically the same.

'Another invention by the science division, this allows exorcists to breath in deeper water but without the addition weight that would hinder them if attacked by akuma,' Cody explained when Allen realized that he was frowning at them.

'Hurry up, I have had it with this thing!' Phoenix growled from above them.

'Well this thing is the only thing keeping you from falling into the water,' Allen retorted, which luckily stopped Phoenix's complaining for now.

'Alright, we're off,' Lavi said as he slipped off the back of the boat followed closely by Lenalee.

'Now we just sit and wait,' Allen hated this part as he leaned against he side of the boat and watched the water lap against the hull. He hadn't sensed anything since they had left the waft but even that wasn't enough to convince him that things will be smooth sailing from here.

….

**Another chapter done so onto the next one! **

**Hoped you enjoyed it and please leave a REVIEW! XD**


	12. Chapter 12

….

'I'm so bored!' Phoenix claimed aloud, Allen had just about enough of her whining voice. They had been waiting a good fifteen minutes but during this time Phoenix had just been plain annoying for a lot longer.

Judging from her behavior and what the finders had told him, Allen was safe to assume that Phoenix was always like this when traveling by boat. But even so, it still didn't make the situation any better.

'We know already!' Allen groaned as he covered his ears with his hands. He had preoccupied himself with the dark waves that battered against the hull of the boat. It was still boring but at least he was doing something.

Phoenix glared at him from her position on the roof of the cabin. She had been roosted there as soon as they set sail.

'At least ya found some form of entertainment,' she grumbled as Allen tried once more to block her out but was still failing miserably. Luckily enough, Phoenix quieted down after that and landed on the deck with a soft thud.

'Oi, get in contact with them now,' she pointed to the finder who happened to wonder onto the deck at the time. The finder blinked at her before nodding his head and hurried off, probably towards the controls cabin.

'Aren't you suppose to say please?' Allen sneered as Phoenix gloated at him before putting her hands on her hips.

'_Please_~ politeness are for those who have time,' they crackled up afterwards. Allen hadn't expected such a response from this girl but it was enough to amuse him to laughter.

Phoenix slumped herself down on a seat nearest Allen, she was still giggling ecstatically.

'Heh~ watch this,' Phoenix held her hands in front of her as she suddenly slapped them together. Allen watched with amusement as he saw spark fly from the impact of her palms. As so as she parted them a small flickering flame could be seen.

'Is your innocence fire?' Allen asked as he watched as Phoenix began fiddling with it

'Sort of, I can produce flames with any part of my body so I'm parasitic,' Phoenix blew on the flame and it seemed to come to life. Allen saw it flutter towards him before he outstretched his left hand.

'New trick?' Allen asked as the small flame appeared like a glowing red butterfly. Phoenix just grinned.

'Of course, being stuck in doing punishment gives me some spare time to do stuff like this,' the butterfly flittered away and back to Phoenix whom just caught it again between her hands. Seeing this Allen looked at his discolored hand, all scaly and segmented.

He doubted his innocence could do something like that but it was still fascinating to see innocence being used like that. But it was still a substance of God, something he had never asked for.

'Oh don't be so bummed out, I heard that innocence can evolve,' Allen blinked away from his hand to Phoenix. She might have been cheering him up but Allen curled his hand into a fist and leaned back against the railing.

That was when he noticed something… things had gotten too quiet.

'Hey Phoenix, shouldn't the finder be back by now with news?' Phoenix straightened as a frown appeared and her red eyes darkened.

'Come to think of it…' she stood up and went to the control cabin where the finders should be. Allen was behind her as he felt a sicken twist create nausea in his stomach. Phoenix opened to door and glanced around a surprisingly empty cabin.

'Uh…?' Allen rushed past her and went to check below deck but was met with the same result.

'Where'd they go?'

'If there was a struggle we should have heard them,' Phoenix seemed to be getting agitated the longer they were unsure of the finders. Allen was more concerned about the fact that both he or Phoenix couldn't drive a boat and that was worrying.

Suddenly the boat was tipped dangerously to the side. Allen grabbed the side of the boat while Phoenix fell back into the cabin. The rocking settled shortly but it had left them both in a state of shock.

'What was that?' Phoenix emerged from the cabin nursing her head as Allen looked towards the water. He was at a loss; it couldn't have been another boat because they were out here alone. The finders were gone and it only left one single conclusion.

'Akuma!' Allen turned to Phoenix to see a ghastly webbed creature looking down on them from the cabin roof. Phoenix was quick to react and summoned a ball of fire before shooting it straight into its grinning face.

But all it did was smolder.

'Damnit, that fucking thing's wet!' Phoenix snarled as she jumped back to Allen. The akuma was laughing at them, a deep nauseating laugh.

'What ya laughing at?' Allen gripped the girl's arm knowing fully well that the akuma was only trying to intimidate them and Phoenix was sorely falling for it. The akuma's wide toothed grin only got bigger as it dropped down onto the deck.

'I don't know, maybe the fact that the exorcists that showed up are nothing but a bunch of kids,'

'How dare you!' In his fury, Allen let Phoenix got and lunged at the akuma smacking it squarely in the gut. The akuma was shocked by the sudden attack as it got flung back just outside the cabin door.

'Hey, I didn't know ya could fight them barehanded?' Allen couldn't reply as the boat was once again knocked about like some toy in a bathtub. Phoenix squealed loudly as she gripped the nearby seats in panic as water splashed aboard.

Allen stumbled but slipped on the puddles that formed and was tumbled to one side of the boat. His back hit the side with a loud smack and Allen was certain that his body was temporarily stunned.

The Akuma seemed to be the only one not affected by the river's tantrum. It just slowly got back onto its feet and strolled towards. Its yellow eyes flickered from Allen then to Phoenix who was too petrified to notice.

'Which one should I kill first?' Allen glared at it but could do nothing. The tumble he took was far worse than he thought; he could only twitch his fingers. The boat tipped dangerously again and because of the water, the deck had become slippery. Against Allen's will, his entire body was bashed against the other side but he couldn't do much to stop it.

'Allen, parasitic innocence don't have to be controlled through physical movement! Use…kyaaah!' During Phoenix's sentence the boat tipped again and the seat slipped from her grip and she was smashed violently against the side of the boat like Allen. Water splashed over her causing her to wail loudly.

'Why does it always have to be fucking water?' She cried in anguish as she glanced as her soaked state. But Allen was left to puzzle over what she had been trying to say, he was aware of how rare parasitic types were but why?

Allen tried one last attempt to regain control over his stunned body but it still wasn't working. He watched as the akuma walked towards Phoenix mostly likely it had decided whom it was going to kill first.

'Phoenix!' But despite Allen's warning, Phoenix didn't have time to dodge or even move as its hand snaked its way around her neck in a vice grip. Allen struggled to gain control over his body as he strained to keep his panic in check.

From what he could see, Phoenix was struggling desperately but she still couldn't free herself from the akuma's grip. Allen then began wondering what the hell was taking Lavi and Lenalee so long to return, were they being attacked by akuma themselves?

'Let her go!' Allen flung himself at the akuma once more, ignoring the numbness that he could feel in his spine. His innocence activated and skewered the akuma right in the chest. The akuma screeched in pain and let Phoenix drop back onto the deck.

'Took… ya time,' Phoenix spoke between coughs as she slowly stood up and crossing her arms over her chest like she was warding something off.

'Now I'm angry!' Steam started rising off her body as Allen watched while continuing to pin the skill squirming akuma against the deck. It took a while but the girl soon opened her eyes that were alight like burning ember and a giant orb of flames appeared lapping against both of her arms.

The heat was that intense that the stray waves that tried to hit the deck evaporated before even touching anything.

'Hold it down,' Phoenix seemed to order him as Allen growled at her. If she hadn't noticed, he was already doing that. She knelt beside the akuma and placed her searing hands against its moist skin, causing rapid evaporation.

'NO!' The akuma screamed in pain as its body began to crack and crumble as Phoenix's flames touched every each of its body. Allen was amazed how she was doing this while he was still pinning it to the deck with his activated innocence.

Soon enough the ordeal was over and Phoenix fell back and her breathing labored.

'I hate water~' she complained like some toddler not wanting to eat her vegetables. Allen released his activation and collapsed onto the deck feeling the recoil of forcing a body to move with damaged nerves.

Phoenix glanced in his direction briefly before sighing.

'I hope usagi and princess pampered come back soon,' Allen only hummed his agreement to her statement but he was beginning to feel slightly foolish. When he had attacked the akuma, he forgot about his innocence.

'Ya know, I still don't know why ya attacked that akuma without activating ya innocence?'

'Shut up!' Allen growled as Phoenix giggled before she suddenly stopped.

'Hey you two, we're back!' Allen glanced up but barely saw a figure clamber into the boat. But there was still no mistaking that stupid grin on his face.

'Oh hi… Lavi,' Allen said mild but still couldn't move much. Lavi glanced down at him then to Phoenix sitting across the deck.

'What happen to you two, you look all washed out?' Allen felt his eye twitched but luckily he didn't have to react as Phoenix stormed over to Lavi and literally threw the boy far out into the river.

'You'd be like that if you had to fight an akuma that can control tidal surges!' Phoenix yelled out to the big splash that happened to be Lavi.

'What's go on here?' Lenalee and several finders stepped onto the deck from a small tinny. Allen felt rage bubble up inside him but he didn't want to express it in the state he was in.

'Allen! Are you okay?' Lenalee knelt beside him, worry creasing her brows. Allen rolled his eyes.

'What took you guys so long? Were you attacked by akuma?' then he glared at Cody who looked rather skittish.

'Not at all, Lavi and Lenalee had called us out to help when they came across complications,' Cody seemed rather remorseful but Allen felt his entire body shakes with anger.

'Were you worried Allen?' Lenalee asked.

'As if,' Allen grunted as he looked away still not being able to make his body move even an inch.

'Yeah, we almost had the innocence… till a fish came along and swallowed it whole, but we got it now.' Lavi appeared again holding something that seemed to glow a faint green. He heaved himself over the side of the boat and back onto the deck. Phoenix groaned aloud and folded her arms.

'Just like ya to get it stolen from you by a fish~' she teased while Lavi just frowned at her while Lenalee went slightly red in the face and Allen doubted it was only bashfulness.

'Shut up Phoenix!' Lenalee demanded but Phoenix shuddered playfully just to agitate her further.

'Hey Allen? How long are you going to lay there?' Lavi voiced as he pulled down the zip from the front of his suit. Allen grizzled at Lavi for even pointing out that fact for everyone to know.

'My nerves are fucked up from being tossed about in a stupid boat that was being attacked by an akuma,' Lavi nodded slowly.

'Hmm, maybe old Panda's acupuncture could fix that up,' Lavi spoke as one of the finders handed him a towel so he could dry himself.

'Then let's hurry up, I am sick of this fucking water!' Phoenix wailed as she sat down on the seat fixed to the side of the boat.

….

Days after returning from their watery trip, Allen was submitted to having thin needles pricking into his skin. According to Komui and Bookman who did the treatment, it would help regain movement to his limbs.

But even they were surprised at how quickly Allen had recovered.

So Allen was once again sitting on an infirmary bed while Bookman tapped the needles into the skin around his spine. It was rather quiet here and he was slightly thankful for Bookman's insistence that his 'idiot apprentice' sort through the disorderly library.

It almost reminded Allen of the old woman who had given him accommodation before he was taken to this school. The only thing that irritated him the most was the fact that he had allowed himself to be concerned about the other's welfare.

He had only done that with Amber but seeing how the boy died right in front of him only proved the point that he couldn't trust anyone to remain safe or alive. It just pissed him off even more that a school would allow such children like him to fight in this war.

Allen could almost picture other kids his age going to school, having friends and a family. Not having to give a fucking damn about this stupid 'secret war'!

'If you don't loosen up my treatment will be insufficient,' Allen blinked out of his thoughts as he glanced back at Bookman. The old man was staring at him with cynical yet unreadable eyes that it almost frightened Allen. It was like Bookman was trying to read him like the books in the library.

Even so, Allen relaxed his shoulders and muscles so the man could continue the acupuncture.

'I heard Marian Cross almost had to drag you to this school,' Allen just shuddered when the man mentioned Cross.

'So what? I never wanted to come here in the first place,' Allen grumbled as Bookman placed his needles back into their pouch and folded the thing closed.

'There are things we don't like, but why not try something new?'

'I hate God and I hate this innocence that has possessed part of my body, is that what you wanted to here?' Allen grabbed his shirt and put it on and began doing up the buttons. Bookman just stared at him but Allen didn't want to wait for a response as he hurried out the door.

Why…? Why had he said those things to that old man?

….

**Hey folks, ending this chapter was slightly difficult but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!**

**Please leave a REVIEW!**


	13. Chapter 13

….

Weeks soon turned into months after Allen had returned from the assignment in St Petersburg. The usual routine set in and it was slowly getting to him. It didn't help that Lenalee and Lavi were once again sent on another assignment.

At least during the assignment, he wouldn't be seeing Cross 24/7 and in all honesty the man was getting harder and harder to deal with.

Allen was sitting in class, Phoenix was to his right with Kanda next to her, Daisya sat left of him and Limina was towards the front in her own silent world. Cross' gold golem was sitting on the desk seemingly watching them intently with its wings flapping now and then.

Allen just glanced at the blackboard for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

Cross was busy writing up several equations most likely expecting Allen to answer them? The bastard had taken up the habit of asking him whether Allen was paying attention or not and it was truly pissing him off.

'Allen, would you like to tell me the answer to this equation?' Cross had finished writing the last equation onto the blackboard. He was pointing to the one he was talking about.

Allen glanced at the equation and with mathematics being his most hateful subject decided to piss the man off, as usual.

'27?'

'Stop spitting out numbers brat…' Cross glanced back at the board before throwing another piece of chalk at Allen's head.

'Lucky guess, idiot,' the man growled before continuing on as Phoenix and Daisya muffled a laugh between them. Allen smirked in triumph while Cross' back was turned but could only briefly savor it when Reever appeared at the door.

Allen couldn't help but notice that Reever's face was as white as a sheet and his breathing labored.

'General, we've had an incident!' It didn't take Cross long to drop the book he had been holding on the desk and he rushed of the room.

'Class dismissed,' Cross yelled as he disappeared from the door, Tim reanimated and flew over to Allen with just a few beats of its wings.

'I wonder what's got Reever so nervous today?' Daisya murmured as he pushed his papers onto the floor and reseated himself on his desk. Phoenix merely shrugged as Limina slowly walked up to them.

'Something probably happened on the last assignment,' Limina stated as she pulled out another chair and sat down. Allen wondered about that, if that was true then the situation had to be dire for Cross to even be called. While he was distracted, Timcampy decided to take up residency on his head.

'I wonder what it could be,'

'You're all a bunch of idiots, someone probably got themselves mortally wounded,' Kanda grumbled as he stared away from the group conversation happening to the left of him.

'Oh really, like that incident six years ago…' Daisya mocked the longhaired boy. Allen slowly began sink in his seat as Kanda abruptly stood and slowly pulling a sword from its sheath. He was in the middle of the two and didn't like the thought of being caught up in something he had no clue on.

Phoenix seemed to be having similar thoughts but she just stood up.

'I hate to break up a good fight but why don't we do something better…' Allen didn't like the sly grin that crept up onto the redhead's face. He had gotten to know the girl better and through that knew it was best to avoid these situations.

'I'm going to pass on this one,' Allen stated aloud as he gathered his things and began walking out the door.

'Eh? Why not?' Phoenix whined as she stepped in front of the only exit to the classroom.

'Because it's none of my business!' Allen explained as he looked for a way to walk past her.

'Come on, it won't take too much of ya bloody time!' Phoenix growled and took hold of Allen's arm before dragging him completely out the door and in the opposite direction.

'Hey, I said NO!' But it was already too late to complain as Phoenix begins leading them to some part of the school Allen was less familiar with.

It looked like a dreary hospital room but with the additional smell of chemicals. There were several beds lined up against one side of the room with gathered curtains hanging next to them.

'What is this place?'

'The infirmary and judging from the lack of nurses, I presume they're here, right Timcampy?' Phoenix turned and smiled at the golem still sitting in Allen's hair. Though Allen couldn't see well, he knew the golem gave Phoenix a positive response because her smile grew wider.

'Yes!'

They continued for a short while before Allen recognized Lavi standing beside a door looking rather out of place in his uniform of red and grey.

'Oi Lavi, what's going on?' Phoenix demanded as they reached the redhead standing still. Allen could see that Lavi's face wasn't its usual cheerfulness but pale and stiff.

'Most of us here can barely survive an attack by a level three except for Phoenix and Yuu, Lenalee knew this but she still went ahead and tried to destroy it…' Lavi's voice was straining as he glanced back at the door. Allen frowned but could almost agree with what Lavi was trying to say.

Before Amber was killed, Jesse had drawn the attention of that level three away from them so they could deal with the weaker akuma. Though it didn't work, he was only using himself as a diversion and was covered in wounds for doing so.

'Are they really that tough?' Allen spoke softly as he cast his eyes towards the ground. He knew it was a rather stupid question to ask in the first place but still Lavi nodded.

'By some miracle, Lenalee had managed to destroy it but almost destroyed herself when she fully invoked her innocence to one hundred percent,' Now Allen was confused but lucky enough Phoenix caught on quickly.

'Only Generals can achieve one hundred percent invocation without consequence, the last person to do that and wasn't a General was Suman Dark,' she slowly explained though Allen was surprised that Phoenix could be that smart despite her childish behavior.

'But the fucking idiot became a Fallen, what about Lenalee?' Allen certainly didn't miss the note of concern in the longhaired boy's voice and just couldn't help himself.

'Oh, is someone worried?'

'Shut the fuck up Moyashi!' Kanda tried to lunge at Allen but was successfully held back by Daisya and Limina whom used her innocence.

'Luckily enough, she didn't but something else happened, something strange…'

'That would be quite enough of that Bookman Jr.' Allen noticed everyone around him stiffen except for Kanda and Phoenix. Behind them someone had approached without anyone knowing about it, even Allen was disturbed by this.

Allen turned and saw a man towering over him. The narrow glare of this newcomer wasn't Allen's favorite gaze.

'And you are?' Allen deadpanned.

'A-Allen, he's Malcolm C. Rouvelier, he funds this school,' Allen ignored Lavi's stuttering and just matched the man's gaze without budging.

'Hey Mr. Snake! You here for Lenalee aren't ya?' Phoenix chirped doing a mocking salute to him and drawing the man's attention away from Allen.

'It's Rouvelier too you Miss Hills, and who might this gent be?' Rouvelier's stare returned to Allen.

'Allen Walker,'

'Right, the brat Cross dragged in,'

Allen felt his rage boil as raised his fist to hit the man but Phoenix and Lavi jumped and grabbed held of him. They managed to move to the side as Rouvelier calmly walked by as if he hadn't done anything wrong and entered the room.

'I you mad Allen? Who knows what Rouvelier would do to you if we had let you hit him!' Lavi was almost shouting in his face as Allen slightly relaxed just to get them to let go.

'So what?'

'Let me be the first to roast him before ya go hitting him,' Phoenix chided coldly while seemingly giving a reason as to why she helped Lavi hold Allen back.

'We all don't like him Al, but we don't go around trying to kill him,' Lavi tried to persuade Allen when he realized Phoenix wasn't helping.

'Rouvelier holds a position that is close to the Pope himself,'

'I honestly don't believe you,' Allen said.

'No matter what ya believe he's nothing but the biggest fucking cockroach that just won't die!' Phoenix fumed a little to loud that caused the group to go silently all of a sudden.

'They might have heard you…' Limina tried a little to calm Phoenix down but Allen could see that the small girl was having trouble finding the right words.

'Does it look like a care!' Phoenix continues to shout till the door opened and a tall woman came out looking rather cross.

'I would appreciate that you keep your voice down, Lenalee finally woke up,' she spoke softly even though the woman was scowling them.

'She's awake, can we see her?' Lavi asked as he almost held the woman's dress.

'The General are in there at the moment… What do you think you're doing young man?' Allen just walked past her as he entered the room where the four teachers stood near the foot of the bed. Komui was sitting next to a rather pale Lenalee as she avoided the gaze of Rouvelier.

Bookman was also there with a concerned frown on his face before he turned to see Allen and the others enter the room.

'Are you alright Lenalee?' Lavi exclaimed as he rushed to the bed. Daisya and Limina then followed him shortly.

'Far from it, there is the possibility that Lenalee is the Heart,' Rouvelier interrupted earning a grimace from Komui who just held his sister closer.

'Heart?'

'The Heart of Innocence is the source of our innocence's power, the Millennium Earl is also looking for it,' Lavi quickly explained Allen's confusion but even so Allen couldn't picture it.

'It is possible but it won't be long till the Earl hears of this and sends the Noah clansmen after her,' Bookman noted, which soon caused an unsettling silence to overcome everyone in the room. Allen couldn't help but feel rage, everything he was hearing now sounded like it was coming straight out of the Bible, Noah clansmen and Heart of innocence…

Why couldn't he have been born without having to worry about this messed up war?

'What bullshit is this?' Allen hadn't meant to say that aloud but the tension and silence were starting to get to him.

'Allen you are not helping the situation,' Komui spoke calmly but loud enough to be heard as Allen took in several deep breaths.

'What situation? Lenalee took on something that was out of her league and she is simply paying the consequence…'

A loud slap echoed about the room as Allen glanced at the person who had come up to him without knowing. It was the fucking bastard Cross again as Allen gritted his teeth. Even so, he had never seen Cross this angry before.

'There's nothing to it,' with that Allen ran out of the room and almost knocked over the woman who had scowled them before. He really did hate this place and why? Allen was beginning to question that now.

….

**Ending on a bad note but I hope to make further progress in the next chapter!**

**Please leave a REVIEW CX **


	14. Chapter 14

….

Allen confined himself to his room after his outburst that left him feeling like a complete idiot. He never liked losing his composure, especially around other people despite knowing them for a few months since coming to the school.

He was lying on his bed and just stayed there staring at the ceiling while Timcampy flew circles above his head. It was all he could do in such a small space and Allen definitely wasn't in the mood for homework.

Soon enough there was a soft knock on the door. Allen shifted on the bed and slowly sat up, now staring at the door.

'Who is it?' Many had come asking him to leave his room, Allen was just thankful Cross hadn't bothered. He didn't want to see that bastard anytime soon.

'It's Lenalee, can I please come in Allen?' Allen sighed as he stood up and went to the door to open it. He felt obligated to show this much when he had ranting on just a few days ago.

Allen opened the door and sure enough, Lenalee was standing there leaning on a single crutch and wearing everyday clothes. She was smiling at him when she noticed that he was going to open the door for her.

'Aren't you suppose to stay in bed?' Lenalee just shook her head.

'Brother separated me from my innocence for the time being until we understand what's going on,' Allen stepped to the side as she staggered into his room and sat down on his bed.

'What if it's simply evolution?' Allen had sometime to think and couldn't help but think of the conversation he had with Phoenix about innocence.

'Evolution?'

'Phoenix said something about it back on the boat in Russia, but it was vague,' Lenalee was frowning now but Allen wasn't sure of why?

'I've seen innocence evolve, particularly with Jesse, he was equipment type before becoming crystal and it was nothing like what happened to me,' Allen nodded but still didn't quite understand her as he just stood in front of her.

'My innocence could be the Heart, Allen why won't you believe in that possibility,'

'Not to be rude but if you are then you will be constantly under attack by this Noah Clan. That's something I don't want to be involved in,' Allen retorted as he shoved his hands into his pant pockets and glanced out the window.

'Are you scared of them?' Allen snorted at the remark.

'Why would I? I barely know who or what they are,' Lenalee fumbled with her hands that lay in her lap.

'The Noah clansmen are humans who are far stronger than akuma and we might have unknowingly come in contact with them at some point in time,' Allen detected an anxious tone wobbling on the edge of her voice.

'So they have more self control than akuma?'

'What's that suppose to mean?' Lenalee growled in confusion as Allen just shrugged and continued to stare out the window. Somehow something was beginning to bug him and he doubted it was Lenalee being in his room.

'It's what I've notice, akuma are quick to attack when they know you're a holder of innocence. That's why I hate the blasted thing, I can't remove it or separate from it!' Allen hissed the last part but was quite mellow with the rest. He was trying not to make Lenalee feel offended or put off in any way.

There was silence between them as Allen slowly made his way to the window and stare out taking in the forest's lush green canopy and wide-open oval down below. It was there again, that dreadful heaviness that weighed down his chest.

'Allen… What do you see when you look at the world?' Allen tore his gaze away from the window and stared at Lenalee.

'Huh?'

'When I see the world, I don't see big cities, the rich and famous or the trauma that happens… The world to me is with my brother, friends and comrades whom I fight beside,' Allen glanced down at his desk wondering what had possibly brought this up in the first place. At the moment, he wasn't coming to any satisfying conclusions.

'What do you see Allen?'

'… A broken world,'

'Why?' Allen leaned against his desk and closed his eyes.

'There is nothing but war, corruption, destruction and selfishness in this world; I've experienced it first hand. Nothing will change even if we somehow manage to win this '_holy_' war, humans will be humans,' Lenalee stood up suddenly with anger flickering her eyes but her legs buckled underneath her and she sat back on the bed.

'Humans can change, we can change but we need time,'

'Say that to the thousands of people living in poverty, abused and abandoned by those who say they would help!' Lenalee seemed to cringe as Allen strained himself from yelling further.

He turned back to the window only to find the sunlight no longer filtering through. Allen had a moment to register the big shadow hovering outside.

'Shit, get down!' Allen grabbed Lenalee and pushed her to the ground as a loud blast filled the entire room. Allen felt a sharp pain rip through his leg as if something had grazed it. But he ignored it as he stared at the unwanted intruder.

'What's an akuma doing here?' Lenalee exclaimed as she tried to stand up only to realize she no longer had her innocence on her. Allen rolled his eyes as he activated his own and lunged at the oversized balloon and slashed it to pieces.

It exploded moments later as he quickly helped Lenalee to her feet.

'They're finally coming for you,' Allen murmured as he heard distant explosions that were happening at some other part of the building.

'The others…'

'Forget them for now, where did Komui put your innocence?' Lenalee almost looked hurt but seemed to come to the realization of the situation they were in.

'It's on the other side of the building…' Allen didn't let her say anymore as he ran to the door and kicked it open and scanned the seemingly empty corridor.

'We'll be running from here on so do let go of my hand!' Lenalee hesitated but Allen knew they couldn't afford to waste anymore time as he grabbed her wrist and they bolted down the corridor.

Allen made quick decisive turns depending on his sense that akuma could potentially be wanting for them at the other end. He soon made a sudden left turn.

'But the it's quicker to use the right corridor,' Lenalee protested as Allen made them turn another corner.

'Trust me, we'd be in big trouble if we went that way,' as soon as Allen said that a loud explosion rattled the building causing them both to stumble.

'But how?'

'I said trust me!'

Allen turned again and they both continued running till they reached a fire escape door. Lenalee took one glance at it.

'We need to go up from here, the lab is just above us,' Allen tested the door but found it annoyingly locked. He soon activated his innocence and punched a gaping hole.

'You could have used the emergency button,' Lenalee grumbled as Allen ignored her and began dragging her up the flight of stairs. It took several flights till Lenalee told him that they had reached the intended floor.

'We need to hurry,' Allen demanded as he activated his innocence again when he found out this floor's escape door was locked as well.

'Don't worry I think it's just beyond this wall,' Lenalee shouted over the loud bang as Allen once again busted most of the wall down. He briefly stood there; drawing in deep breaths when a small black orb sailed up between the flights of stairs caught his attention.

'Lenalee!' Allen grabbed her wrist again as the orb expanded rapidly causing a thunderous explosion to ripple around them. Allen quickly activated his innocence and dug the claws into the floor as a strong pulling force began dragging them towards the sphere.

'Is that an akuma ability?' Lenalee exclaimed in fear as they watched the stairs rip and twist away from the walls. Allen greatly doubted that because he couldn't sense any akuma nearby but then what was causing this gravitational pull.

Using as much strength as he could muster, Allen pulled them both to safety but the wind and force could still be felt until it disappeared moments later. But Lenalee stumbled ahead of him where a small machine contained a small black cube that looked slightly crumbled.

'We found it,' Lenalee spoke with relief as Allen silently watched her retrieve it from the machine.

'So this is where you ran off to,' Both Allen and Lenalee jumped when a voice echoed towards them as they spun around. Allen stood protectively in front of Lenalee as a tall man slowly made his way towards them.

Allen had never seen someone like him before, dark umber almost grey skin but his most distinguished feature were the seven stigmata adorning his brow and gleaming gold eyes.

'N-Noah…' Lenalee said meekly as Allen glanced back at her then to the man slowly coming to them. The man smirked as he finally stopped in front of them.

'I didn't think it would be that hard to find you and it didn't help when the Generals and exorcists got in the way,' the man seemed to grumble but Allen strangely knew that the man wasn't talking to him but in fact, Lenalee.

'What did you do with my friends and the Generals?' Lenalee shouted as she stepped forward but Allen was quick to grab her arm to stop her from doing something foolish. But she was a complete idiot for biting the bullet in the first place.

'They're all fighting the akuma I brought with me,'

'Calm down Lenalee, you need to get away, I'll buy as much time as I can but you need to get away,' Lenalee looked horrified by Allen suggestion.

'I can't leave you,'

'You can't do anything without your innocence, just go!'

'You're not going anywhere!' Allen pushed Lenalee out of the way as he spun around and a blade with his clawed innocence. Allen was surprised by the pure strength of the Noah as he managed to push him back and took a swipe, which the man easily avoided.

'Parasitic type… rather rare but I hear they're so fun to break,' Allen couldn't have been more disturbed as the Noah seemed to send something towards him. Allen braced himself as some sort of cloud swamped him and seemed to push him back.

But what was strange was that the black cloud was biting at through his uniform. Allen used his large arm to break the cloud to make it burst and he realized that it was the cloud had been a swarm of purple and black butterflies.

'Butterflies?' Allen muttered in confusion, which was rather short lived as they began slicing through his skin at blinding speeds.

'They're tease and they take quite a liking to human flesh,' Allen cringed as he managed to rid himself of these ruthless yet beautiful tormentors. He glared fiercely at the man before lunging at him again but once again the Noah simply ducked under the swipe and it was beginning to piss Allen off.

No matter what Allen did, he couldn't even scratch the man who either dodged or easily blocked his attack. It was infuriating but at least Allen was hoping to buy Lenalee time, that was his main goal and he hoped the Noah didn't notice yet.

Suddenly one of the man's blows slip past Allen's arm and flung him back against a wall, leaving a large crater. But Allen didn't fall to the ground as the Noah came up again and secured a hand around his neck and began to slowly squeeze.

'It's been fun but I have other things to do, so I'll try to finish this quickly,' the man raised his fist and continued to assault Allen blow after blow. Allen could only do his best to divert or soft the impact of the blows but even so, his uniform continued to soak with warm blood.

'Do you want to know the difference between parasitic and equipment?' Allen didn't say anything, not like he could with the amount of air barely reaching his lungs.

'Equipment type are a bore, you separate it from its accommodator and it's an easy take down. But with a parasitic, they feel every inch of pain as the innocence is torn from their bodies,' The Noah slowly placed his spare hand over Allen left, where his innocence was and Allen unconsciously flinched at the touch.

'Stop…' Both Allen could put any strength in retaliation a strong electric charge coursed through his arm. He could hear the crackling, as his arm seemed to fall apart. Allen screamed, the pain beyond anything he had ever experienced in his entire life.

In one last bid to get free, Allen torn from the Noah's grip and slammed his broken innocence across the man's face. Pain shot up his arm but it was worth it as it broke the man's concentration. But even so Allen felt his body crash into the ground with barely any strength to hold it up.

Allen couldn't see him but he most definitely heard the footsteps walk over to him before he was roughly kicked onto his back.

'Now I'm really behind in my task,' the man grumbled as his hand began to glow a dark purple.

Out of nowhere, three shots rang out and the Noah stumbled back hissing in pain. He was mainly clutching his abdomen but from what Allen saw the man was also bleeding from his shoulder and hand.

'You got lucky boy,' with that the man ran to the direction of the dissembled stairs and jumped down. Another set of footsteps rushed up to Allen as he felt a hand reach for his neck.

'The brat's still alive, almost like last time,' Allen opened his eyes but his eyelids barely got half way as he felt something drape over his body and he was slowly picked up. Allen moaned painfully as he left arm was roughly moved.

'Who…?'

'Don't try to speak Allen, we barely got to ya in time,' another voice spoke up but it wasn't from the one holding onto him. They seemed to be shouting over the unbearable noise of concrete and plaster shifting and splitting apart.

'Hurry General, this side of the building is going to come down!'

….

**I'm now thinking of covering much more plot ground next chapter and hoping to introduce more of the Noah soon! Can't wait! **

**Please leave a REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 15

….

Allen consciousness slowly woke to the sound of a constant mechanical beep and it was beginning to bug him in all honesty. He forced his eyes open and watched the bland white ceiling come into focus. It was another one of those medical rooms, like the one Lenalee was in when she was brought back from her mission that saw her losing control of her innocence.

'Finally awake mate,' a voice spoke to him as Allen turned his head to look at the blond haired kid that was Jesse.

'I thought you were on an assignment,' Allen managed to croak.

'Komui called everyone back briefly just in case this place gets attacked again,' Jesse responded as Allen made an attempt to sit up but the boy's bronze hand shot up and held Allen gentle down.

'Easy mate, you were pretty beaten up by that Noah that attack the school,' Allen grizzled but made not move to do otherwise. His body no longer hurt as much as it had done before he blacked out but there was still that dull throb of pain pulsing through his body.

'What about everyone else?' Jesse lips tightened into a straight line as if he was reluctant to say anything as he slowly gazed at the ground.

'We lost about 148 personnel when the akuma attacked, within that count is a General and an exorcist,' Allen eyes widened in shock and he quickly sat up. Then he realized that his left arm wasn't moving as it should be.

'Oi mate, I told you not to move,'

'Will you stop calling me mate?' Allen hissed as he laid his right hand on his immobile arm. His fingers traced over the bandages that wound its way around his arm and was securely bound at his shoulder.

'Sorry mate,' luckily, Allen wasn't listening as his focus trained to the door that slowly opened to reveal Komui walking in. The man seemed rather happy that Allen was up yet Allen couldn't help but see some note of concern in his brown eyes.

'I'm glad you're up Allen,' Komui said as Allen watched him walked to the left side of the bed.

'You should consider yourself luckily Allen, Noah have the power to destroy innocence…'

'Who died?' Komui went silent before throwing a glare at Jesse who shrugged and quickly got out of the room while he still could.

'I'm sure you are aware that 148 people lost their lives, the count is a mixture of townspeople and our school's personnel,' Komui spoke as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

'I meant the exorcist and General,' Allen growled getting a little impatient by Komui purposeful delay.

'Daisya Barry and General Kevin Yeegar,'

'Oh…' Allen shifted his paralyzed left hand into his lap. He didn't know Daisya well but Mr. Yeegar was a well-respected teacher by his students and colleagues.

Allen closed his eyes and pulled the sheets off him as he turned to get off the bed. Komui's was about to protest but Allen was already placing his bare feet onto the cold floor and went to stand.

'Wait Allen, your body isn't fully healed,' Komui stared sternly as he quickly went to the other side of the bed just as Allen stumbled and fell over. Allen managed to lean against the wall but seemed rather irritated that only his right hand could be used to steady himself.

'Your innocence took a beating and I barely managed to keep it from falling apart but moving it again will take some time,' Komui said as he reached for a sling from the shelves and assisted Allen in putting it on.

'The head nurse will not be pleased with you moving about so early,' Allen laughed dryly at Komui's words and frowning face. He couldn't care less if the old hag was mad as long as he was able to get out of bed.

'How long have I been sleeping?'

'A full week but no one could blame you with the condition you were in,' Komui spoke as he led Allen out of the room and into the bustling infirmary where there seemed to still be injured people lying in the once empty beds.

'Several parts of the school were destroyed including the side you were found,' Allen frowned for a moment before vaguely recalling something.

'Didn't it collapse?' Komui glanced at him over his shoulder with his eyebrows raised in surprised.

'Yes, how'd you know?'

'A guess…' Allen didn't want to say that he heard something before he had fallen unconscious due to his injures.

They soon left the infirmary after Komui had a heated conversation with the Head Nurse before Komui led him to one of the classrooms. When they entered Allen found a pair of arms wrap around his neck and he was locked into a rather tight hug.

'I'm so glad you're okay Allen,' Allen shuddered as pain ripped through his left shoulder.

'Lenalee, can't ya see he's in pain,' Phoenix sneered from her position sitting lazily on a nearby desk. Lenalee released her grip and shot a glare at the redheaded girl who continued to snicker at her.

Allen glanced around the room and saw that Kanda, Limina, Phoenix, Jesse and Lavi were there along with Nyne, Zokalo, and Tiedoll and Cross. But there were also a few others that Allen didn't quite recognize such as a short nervous looking woman, a tall thin man with a pale complexion and another man whose eyes were dull and cloudy.

'Now that everyone's here, I'll begin particularly for Walker,' Allen rolled his eyes at the mentioning of his last name. But he kept quiet as Komui stared down at the sheets of paper he had pulled from his white lab coat.

'Almost a week ago, we were attacked by a large swarm of akuma and a single Noah, their aim was for Lenalee whom we suspected as the Heart. Luckily she and her innocence are safe but also evolved into crystal type.'

'We lost Yeegar and Daisya during the fight, along with 146 others, the Noah mortally injured Allen and that's about all we've covered on that basis,' Komui shuffled through the papers and cleared his throat.

'40% of the school buildings have been destroyed including the fifth floor lab and gymnasium and lower floor dormitories. Repairs to the school will take a while,' Komui seemed to finish as he finally looked up from the documents and shoved them back into his coat.

Allen was surprised that one attack by the enemy had left so much damage but thought better than to speak his mind during a time like this.

'So in the meantime I have enrolled you at the school in the next town,' Allen's eyes widened when he heard this. He didn't want to go to another, much more sophisticated school than this one.

'It's a sister school but for ordinary students, they do not know that you are exorcists,' Komui's voice was stern to the students present but his gaze flickered to Allen occasionally. Allen rolled his eyes and stared at the worn desktop.

'The Generals and senior exorcists will stay here to help with repairs, while students will attend the school and be suspended from assignments until further notice,'

'What bullshit is this?' Phoenix didn't seem the least bit happy about this but Allen could read the exact same frustration on Jesse and Kanda.

'Phoenix mind the language and I'll say this again… St. Monica is a normal school and if you are constantly absent it will be troublesome for us, am I clear?' Phoenix balled her hands into fists and her rage still present on her face that you could almost feel the heat.

'Fine!' Phoenix sank but into a chair with little to no argument or she knew it was pointless to go further.

'Will we still be wearing this uniform?' Allen asked though he was still in a simple blue top and black trousers. Komui nodded slowly.

'Of course, we wouldn't want our students to be lost in the hundred or so students there do we?' Allen visibly groaned, if his calculations were correct there'd be only seven of them attending the sister school.

….

The bus came the next day and Allen just gripped his bag tighter in his right hand. The bus was sent courteously of the school they would be attending until the repairs were finished and Allen was not looking forward to it.

This would be the first decent school he'd be attending and unfortunately he wasn't taking it very well. The only thing that made it better for him was that Phoenix and Jesse didn't seem delighted to go either.

He knew it would be for completely different reasons but it was satisfying enough for him.

The driver was an old man with a crooked smile and dark eyes. He greeted them by the steps of his bus as Allen and the other six students gathered around.

'Right then, I hope you got everything with you, typically I expect you to be on your best behavior or I'll leave you on the side of the road,' Allen almost smiled, he wouldn't mind if that happened at all.

'Unfortunately as Mr. Lee has reminded me that I'll have to deal with it the entire trip,' the last part was a grumble but loud enough for all of them to hear before the man allowed them to board.

Getting onto the bus, Allen was surprised at how many seats there were in this thing! There had to be enough to seat at least 45 people.

'Are you sure we should be in here?' Allen said anxiously but a hand gripped his shoulder and he turned to see Phoenix grinning at him.

'Of course, it just means we get the whole bus to move about,' Phoenix seemed gleeful now but Allen guessed it was only to mask her angry he could still feel coming off her.

Allen slid into a row of seats and sat beside the window while Phoenix took the seats on the opposite side.

'Just a heads up but this'll be a six hour long trip, hope ya prepared,' Allen blinked and glanced at Phoenix who was now sprawled across the two seats and her leg hanging in the aisle.

'Will you sit properly Phoenix, some people are still boarding!' Lenalee spat as she kicked roughly at Phoenix's leg but missed as the girl pulled it back. When Lenalee was satisfied she turned to Allen.

'Can I sit with you?' Allen raised an eyebrow.

'Isn't there enough sits here for us to have about seven each?' Allen grizzled not really hoping for a partner during the entire trip. He liked Phoenix's idea of using the extra space for a nap.

Lenalee looked taken back but smiled nonetheless and moved towards the front again. After she was out of earshot, Phoenix leaned across the aisle.

'If I didn't know any better, ya life's going to get complicated,' Allen frowned.

'How so?'

'I hope you're all buckled up because it'll be another six hours before you can properly move again,' the bus driver yelled from his seat in front of the driving wheel.

With that, they left through the gates of the school.

Most of the trip had been mostly peaceful and Allen was lucky enough to sleep through most of it. But it was only towards the last hour of the journey did it take a drastic turn.

'Baka usagi!' Allen flinched as he drowsily woke up from his nap and hazily glanced over the tops of the chair. Towards the back, Kanda had Lavi pinned with his hammer in front of him.

'Oi, oi Yuu-chan, I was only braiding it…' Lavi spoke weakly as he attempted to keep Kanda's sword away from his neck.

'Do not touch my hair and do not use my first name!' Kanda snarled and despite Allen having only the back view of Kanda's braided hair, he could only imagine what face was staring at Lavi.

'Enough the both of you!' Lenalee stormed up from the front of the bus and clopped them both over the head with her hand.

'Aw~ don't be a spoilsport Lenalee~' Phoenix whined, she was casually leaning on her arms as she looked over the seats. Lenalee just threw a glare at her.

'We need to behave, especially with the school not so far from us,' Lenalee explained while gazing at the three of them. Allen stare went out the window and sure enough the bus was heading towards a pair of gates much less intimidating than Our Sacred Heart Academy.

As the bus came to a halt a sour-looking woman stood out the front holding a clipboard. Her lips were glazed in bright red lipstick and her hair was pulled back in a tight bun.

By the looks of things, Allen had the feeling that he wasn't going to like her at all. He grabbed his bag and followed the others as they got off the bus to face the woman. She was eyeing them each in turn before her gaze fell on Allen, or to be more specific his left arm.

'Welcome students of Our Sacred Heart to St Monica High,' she trilled as her gaze flickered down to the clipboard.

'I'll say you names in alphabetical order, please answer if you hear your name,' the woman then went down her list till she hit Allen's name. She had made sure that she took a good look at each of them before finally escorting them into the school.

'We managed to give you two rooms from our dormitories, one for the girls and one for the boys,' Allen glanced at the three others he was going to be stuck with. Jesse and Lavi seemed okay if they kept their mouth shut and as long as Kanda didn't irritate him it should be fine.

Well Allen hoped anyway…

….

**Here's the next chapter so I'll try to begin the next one soon!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	16. Chapter 16

….

The first few days that Allen experienced were like hell on earth. St Monica was definitely not like Our Sacred Heart. The reasons being were that the teachers were just as strict about learning and uniform codes. They even complained about their individual looks to the uniform.

Allen had heard the woman who had greeted them; quietly complain that Phoenix and Lenalee's uniform were rather imposing. The fag just didn't know how important it was for Lenalee to have the freedom to use her legs. For Phoenix… Allen wasn't so sure though.

Then there was the issue of being the centre of attention of the entire school. St Monica students had constantly harassed them because there were only seven of them attending one big school.

Though Lavi loved the attention from the girls, Allen just snapped at anyone brave enough to get close to him. Kanda also had the same idea but took it a step too far on the second day by beating up a guy who dared to call him gay. But he did deserve it in Allen's opinion and Phoenix enjoyed it by spurring Kanda on. The guy was just lucky that Kanda didn't have his innocence on him.

The girls had little to worry about because Phoenix had made it her mission to give the male students agony if they got too close to Lenalee or her. Allen presumed it was an order from Komui that Phoenix was doing it and Lenalee wasn't exactly happy about it.

Allen flopped down on his bed, ignoring the fact that he was laying on his paralyzed left arm. One of the only solitudes he could ever experience was in their assigned room.

'Exhausted from all the attention mate,' Jesse teased from his side of the room as Allen threw a glare his way.

'Shut up!' Allen was most definitely in the mood for any smart-ass remarks from Jesse or anyone else in the room. Kanda just snorted from his bed at the far end of the room as he polished the blade of his katana.

'Spare us of your fucking tongue, idiot,' Jesse winced at the harshness of Kanda's words and didn't try to say anymore.

'Aw, don't be so mean Yuu, he was only trying to lighten the mood,' A lamp was thrown across the room, aiming straight at Lavi. Lavi yelped and jumped out of the way as the lamp smashed against the wall.

'Do not call me by my first name, baka usagi!' Kanda snapped angrily as Allen ginger reached for his pillow and put it over his head. Having only one hand had its disadvantages and this was one of them.

'So cruel Yuu…'

'That's it!' Allen watched halfheartedly as Kanda lunged across the room wielding mugen. If Jesse hadn't intervened then, Lavi would have most likely lost his head.

'Let me go damnit!' Kanda seethed as Lavi cringed in the corner nearest the door before it was thrown open.

'What is the meaning of this?' The woman from before was standing there as Jesse' quick thinking hid Kanda's innocence behind his back.

'Getting ready for some shut eye, ma'am,' Jesse spoke quickly as he hurried to his bed and Allen noticed him shove Kanda's sword under the bed. Kanda seemed wise enough not to make a fuss over it and strolled back over to his bed.

Even so, the woman was not convinced.

'I have never seen nor heard that getting ready for bed was this violent!' Everyone in the room flinched at her words but did not take the liberty of going further. Then with a satisfying glare she slammed the door shut and her heels quickly diminished as she walked away.

There was only a short silence amongst them.

'She sure is the devil's reincarnate,' Lavi exclaimed dramatically earning a chuckle from Jesse.

'You said it mate,' Jesse chuckled as he retrieved mugen from under his bed and tossed it quickly to Kanda. Allen pulled the sheets over his body and sighed as Kanda grizzled something but couldn't quite catch it.

….

_The darkness surrounded him, he couldn't tell where he was or why he was here. But there was one thing that stood out from the darkness. The luminous glow of a woman with her back to him. He couldn't see the face until she slightly turned to him but even then he could only see the curve of her small chin and pale lips. Her lips moving as if beckoning him to follow as she slowly walked away._

'_Wait…' _

….

Allen felt his heart miss a beat as he jerked his body forward and the sheets scattered over his knee. Blood pounded in his ears as he tried to calm his irregular breathing. The room was dark but glancing at the glowing digital clock near Jesse's bed showed 11:45.

He fell back onto his bed, relieved that he hadn't woken the others up but irritated that he hadn't been sleeping for long. Allen sat up again and untangled his legs from the sheets before getting up.

His left arm hung uselessly by his side as he walked to the door. Allen needed to walk this one off if he ever wanted to get back to sleep again.

Allen left the room silently and walked down the dimly lit corridor into the main building. The school seemed awfully quiet at night and it gave the place a haunting feel that sent shivers down Allen's spine. Then there was a high-pitched shriek.

Allen froze on at the corner hoping that wasn't just his imagination but then he heard footsteps. Suddenly someone ran right into him and they both tumbled out onto the ground.

Allen breath hitched when his landed on his left arm and pain shot up again. He almost cursed himself for being stationery in the first place. After repositioning his arm he gazed at the person who ran into him. The person also seemed slightly sore but stared at him apologetically. Through the dim light he could tell they were female and wearing printed pajamas.

'I'm so sorry,' she wailed as she stood up and offered her hand to him. Allen looked at it but took it without a word as he stood up a head taller then the girl.

'Wait Belle! I was just kidding…' a boy ran around the corner holding a small flashlight and flickered the beam from Belle to Allen. Allen squinted in annoyance as the boy flashed the darn thing in his eyes.

'You're one of the Our Sacred Heart students?' The boy was frowning as Allen shrugged and eyed them suspiciously.

'What are you doing up?' The girl turned to him with a big smile, which just made him slightly nervous.

'We're looking for the Seven Wonders of St Monica,' Belle chimed as the boy handed her another flashlight.

'Seven what?' Allen seemed baffled by the name but strangely felt curious.

'Wonders, they're the mysteries that Dan and I are going to confirm as real or fake!' Allen laughed dryly at the girl's enthusiasm as she held up a camera.

'It's for the school's newspaper,' Dan agreed with a goofy grin that wasn't even close to Lavi's. Allen nodded but couldn't think of anything better to do knowing how bad he was with directions.

'Can I tag along?' Dan and Belle looked at each other before smiling.

'Sure, you can hold my torch,' Belle said as she tried giving it to his left hand but Allen quickly clasped it with his right. Allen flashed it around and confirmed that they were near the wood works and textile classrooms.

'We first wanted to see the wandering spirit but it never stays in one place so we're starting in the textiles room,' Dan explained glancing at the notepad in his hands. He led the way with Belle behind him and Allen just casually followed after her.

'According to gossip, the mannequin in the right corner of the textiles room changes position every night,' Dan opened the door and entered, Allen kept his torch to the ground. He watched Dan's flashlight flutter about the room before hovering over the mannequin he spoke of.

'Belle is this how it looked today?' Belle stepped forward and frowned at the mannequin, eyeing out every detail.

'Yep,'

'Interesting…' Dan moved the torch to his mouth as he quickly jotted down something in his notepad. Allen rolled his eyes and walked forward vaguely hearing the protests of the two St Monica students.

He wasn't convinced that Dan was right and just believed someone just happened to move it while no one was looking. Allen was now a metre in front had for some reason Allen felt his heart skip a beat again causing him to pause.

All of a sudden, the mannequin in question lunged forward catching Allen by surprise as he stepped back. He heard Belle shriek but could only gaze at its stiff features that now wore a cruel sickening smile as it tried to grab him again.

Suddenly there was a flash of light and the mannequin fell on top of Allen with a loud crash. Allen winced as the mannequin fell to pieces around him but that was it and he couldn't help but sigh in relief.

He glanced behind him to see Belle holding up the camera and her whole body shaking. Dan was behind her looking just as terrified.

'N-no one m-mentioned it attacking a-anyone before,' Dan stuttered as he did his best to calm himself down.

'Well one has been confirmed, let's try out the library next,' Belle said while glancing at the picture she had taken on the screen. Allen slightly nodded but hoped something like that didn't happen again as they put the mannequin back together and exited the room.

They entered the library that was at the end of the hall beside the staircase and walked in. Allen had only been in the library a few times but it looked nothing like the library back at Our Sacred Heart. This was puny compared to that!

'Good, it's almost five to twelve,' Dan said as he light up the face of the watch. Allen frowned but mostly to himself as he clasped his hand over his heart, that dreaded feeling was back again.

Belle seemed to notice his discomfort.

'What's wrong?' She asked as Allen removed his hand and shook his head.

'It's just a bad feeling nothing more,' Belle tilted her head in thought.

'Like sixth sense or something?'

'Belle!' Dan snapped quickly as they past the Librarian's desk and stood amongst the tables. Allen then watched the boy pull out his notepad again.

'At around five to twelve, books begin to fly about the library. The Librarian and her assistant first encountered this when they were tidying up a few months back. After that several students have seen this,'

Allen muffled a groan and continued to flicker the torch about him. When the light passed over the non-fiction section, Allen swore he saw some books shift. It was only a slight movement and he was about to put it off as his imagination until a gasp from Dan had him guessing that he saw it too.

The first flew past their heads within the next few seconds. Allen could clearly see the confusion and anxiety in the two beside him when another book sailed past his head. Another book and another then followed it and it wasn't long before they came to the conclusion they were under attack by literacy.

Using both his body and arm, Allen pushed Dan and Belle to the ground as things began to get pretty violent.

'Belle, take the picture now!' Dan shouted over the noise of rustling papers and knocking of hard-covered books on the metal shelves. Belle fumbled with her camera before aiming it above their heads and the flash illuminated the room within a blink of the eye.

The room then seemed to freeze; the books were still and suspended in the air before dropping onto the carpeted ground with a soft thud.

Allen breathed a sigh of relief as he start up and cradled his paralyzed arm. Belle stared at the picture but still didn't seem quite happy.

'If we publish this photo in the newspaper, they'll think we were throwing books around,' she said with a depressed sigh of her own before letting the camera hang from the loop of rope around her wrist.

'Well I am not cleaning this up,' Dan stated looking at the books littered across the room. Allen didn't want to either but he couldn't help but think of something better.

'I think I can convince Lavi in helping with this, he helps in the library back at Our Sacred Heart,' Allen sneered mostly to himself but he caught the worrying expressions of the St Monica students.

Dan shook his head, seemingly thinking about something before glancing back at his watch.

'We have enough time to see one more before we have to go to bed,' Dan muttered before flicking open his notepad and nodded.

'We'll head downstairs to the Art room, according to my information, static noises could be heard late at night and it isn't because of faulty wiring,' Dan confirmed as he led them down the stairs and to the room directly in front of them.

Allen glanced about the room not knowing what he was supposed to be looking for. He just continued to search the room for anything unusual.

The Art room was similar to the one back at the other school with high tables stained with paint and dents from previous projects. An airing rack lined a portion of the wall where the dark night filtered through the wide glass windows.

Belle was the first to jump when static began crackling as she approached the teacher's desk. She scrambled back and clung frightfully to Dan's arm. If Allen didn't know any better, he'd say Dan was slightly enjoying it.

But still something didn't seem right about this one…

Allen cocked his head to the side and walked over to the desk but nothing happened. He couldn't help but look back at the two and frown.

'I didn't get anything,' Allen deadpanned as Belle ruffled her fringe with embarrassment and went back over only to have the static appear again.

'Something's here!' She was about to flip but Allen wasn't so convinced. The first two had almost scared him shitless… almost. But this wasn't even something to fret over as he began to examine the desk closely and knelt down to glance underneath.

Allen flashed the torch on something protruding from the bottom of the desk and found some sort of device attached.

'Look at this,' Allen said as Dan came over followed by Belle who decided to ignore the static and they both looked at it with a frown.

'Electronic interference, but we only have a camera…'

'I brought my phone,' Belle spoke up sheepishly as she pulled out her slim black lined phone from her pocket. Dan was frowning at her.

'I was going to use it as an emergency flashlight or camera if I ran out of battery,' Belle defended herself as Dan yanked the thing off and turned it over in his hands.

'Our first fake, the art teacher must have been using it to pick up on students carrying their phones around,' Dan was disappointed but pocketed the device nonetheless, probably going to use as evidence.

After that they left the art room and headed back to the dormitories.

'Um, we never got your name,' Belle said as they were about to depart, Allen raised his eyebrows when they finally realized this.

'So?'

'Well we need to know your name if we're going to do this tomorrow,' Belle persisted as Allen scratched his head and sighed.

'Allen Walker, but don't get personal with me tomorrow I don't want the others to find out that I went on a ghost hunt,' Allen said sternly as he eyed the both of them. Dan and Belle nodded before smiling at each other.

'Deal, then meet us here at 11:45pm and we'll resume our search for the truth,' Belle exclaimed softly knowing fully well that she shouldn't draw any attention to them. Allen rolled his eyes and proceeded to enter his room.

Lucky enough, the others were still fast asleep and Allen curled up in his own bed as best he could before falling asleep again. The Seven Wonders of St Monica now occupied his thoughts. He began to wonder what could possibly be causing all this.

….

**Hi guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter! The 'seven wonders' idea came from many sources, it's a common episode for anime or manga that deal with schools or something. (Particularly Ao no Exorcist [manga], Kaze no Stigma [anime] and that's all I can think of right now)**

**And since they'll be here for a while, I think this will suit as a melodrama and also progress the story further….**

**Please REVIEW! XP**


	17. Chapter 17

….

The next night came too slowly as Allen waited patiently for everyone else to go to sleep. Though this was easy said than done.

Lavi wouldn't leave Kanda alone or vice versa. Jesse tried to calm the quarreling but it was the female teacher that ultimately ended it by threatening to throw them outside for the rest of night if they didn't calm down.

Allen was obliged to this not wanting to sleep outside. His reason was that it was most likely that Kanda was going to murder Lavi then.

The room quiet down after the teacher left though Kanda threw threats at Lavi if he ever did anything in his sleep. Allen was unfortunately in the bed between the two and it was all the more annoying.

He just stuck his head under his pillow and waited while listening out for the breathing of his roommates.

Jesse was the first one to fall asleep followed closely by Lavi and then Kanda. Allen sighed with relief and laid his head upon the pillow and waited for the right time to meet Dan and Belle.

Though the time moved slowly, Allen soon saw the digital clock change to 11:45 and he proceeded to get out of bed and quietly made his way out of the room. The corridor was dark like before with little to no light but Allen had allowed enough time for his eyes to adjust.

He casually made his way along the corridor where Belle was already waiting by the main building entrance. Her face was glowing from the small screen of her camera she held in her hands. But Allen saw her brows knit together in a disbelieving frown.

Belle only registered that he was there when he was right beside her and leaning to look at the screen.

'Hi Allen, I'm glad you came,' Allen just rolled his eyes and tried to catch a glance at the screen.

'What's bothering you?' Belle sighed at his question and showed him the screen. It showed the picture of the mannequin and Allen's back. Allen shuddered as he remembered the twisted expression on the thing's face clearly depicted in the picture. But besides those things, there happened to be a strange purple hue suspended around the mannequin.

'I didn't see that before until I was looking through my camera during Physics class,' Belle seemed to explain as Allen grabbed the camera for a better look. He hadn't seen anything strange about the mannequin and he definitely didn't see any haze around the plastic figure. Allen just presumed that he was a little to focused on staying alive then to the details of the mannequin.

'It's not only the mannequin, tab to the next picture I took in the library,' Belle insisted as Allen did that and got the picture of books suspended in the air. A shiver went down his spine as each of the books glowed a dark purple.

Allen was now frowning as he recalled his bad feeling he had in both the library and textiles room. He was positive he had sensed an akuma in those areas just before the attack. It just made him a little nervous to continue because his innocence had yet to make any movement since the Noah made a bloody mess of it.

'We might be dealing with something dangerous, it would be best to not go tonight,' Allen said in a low voice, he figured that it would now be best if he got the others involved.

'This is the most activity we've had in months, why would we give up when we're half way there?' Dan was walking up to them now in his flannel pajamas as Allen glared at the boy making Dan wane a smile.

'Believe me when I say this is for the best,' Allen persisted darkly knowing it was only a matter of time before they run into the akuma behind this. He wasn't in the position to fight and a tiny thought was trying to persuade him to wake Jesse or Lavi… Kanda was out of the question for now.

Dan folded his arms and stared back and Allen groaned at the determination burning in them.

'Fine a vote, I say we continue,' Dan stated. Belle was glancing between the two unsure of anything.

'Well I suppose so, we have only four to prove,' Belle added nervously under Allen's scrutinizing glare but then Allen sighed in defeat and used his mobile hand to push his hair back.

'It's your funeral,' Allen muttered before glancing back at Dan whom seemed rather happy about this. The boy brought out his notepad and flicked through some pages.

'I think we should head down to the ground floor, south end bathrooms,' Dan spoke as he flashed his torch on the pages. Allen merely raised an eyebrow, wondering what they were going to find in the bathrooms as they headed towards the location with Dan leading the way.

They arrived a short time later, standing outside the boys and girls' bathrooms before Dan decided to speak again.

'Now this happened when the girls' baseball team arrived late one night and decided to have a shower in this facility. While in the girls' bathroom they heard noises. At first, they thought a pervert had gotten into the bathroom but were faced with shadowy entities that caused some damage,' Dan's eyes skimmed across the page in his notepad before staring at Allen and Belle but mainly was looking at Belle.

'Belle you'll be investigating for us,'

'What?' Belle babbled, shocked and paranoid at the same time as Allen winced from the loudness of her voice.

'Allen and I are boys we can't…'

'It's just a bathroom dumb ass, there is no difference,' Allen retorted before walking over to the door and giving it a testing push. It was open despite having a locking mechanism on the doorframe.

'I agree with Allen,' Belle squeaked but Allen only guessed she said that was because she didn't want to go in there alone. Dan still didn't seem convinced by that and Allen just guessed that the guy was being too modest about the whole thing.

'I'm not sure but okay…' Dan's voice gave away his uncertainty. Allen sighed as they entered the bathroom.

The torches shone against the gleaming tiles as they progressed further into the girls' bathroom. The several sinks lined a wall with mirrors catching their blurry reflections in the glass. But other than that nothing didn't seem out of place… yet.

Allen shone the beam further into the area where the shower stalls were and continued further. He kept the beam low and on the rubbery mat on the floor. Allen could hear the sound of a leaking tap but dismissed it as a faulty plumbing job before turning back to Dan and Belle.

They were still hovering around the sinks and gazing at Dan's notepad, probably trying to figure out if there was anything else.

'Maybe we should check the locker rooms connecting to the showers,' Belle pointed out but Allen had to strain to hear her soft voice.

'Hell no, being in the girls' bathroom is bad enough,' Dan exclaimed in horror at such a suggestion as Allen groaned and went back over to them.

'Well there is nothing in the showers,' Allen said as he stood in front of them. Belle glanced away from Dan, her face filled with relief. But Allen watched it slowly contort to fear. It was about then that Allen felt that dreaded feeling wash over him again and presumed that whatever was causing it was right behind him.

Allen turned and raised his right arm in defense just in time, as he was smashed into the nearby wall. Belle shrieked in fear as Dan made a dash to the door. Allen paid little attention as his gaze fell on the dark shadowy figure that had hit him.

It was just as Dan had described, a 'shadowy entity' multiplied by three. Allen growled wondering how they had gotten behind him without him sensing them until the last minute. He hesitantly stood up and braced himself against the damaged wall for support.

Belle was still in the room cowering underneath the sinks while Allen couldn't see Dan anywhere. He then turned his attention back to the shadows still standing mobile in front of the shadows. It seemed like they were waiting or deciding which one of them to go for.

But Allen wasn't one for waiting and took a testing step away from the wall supporting him. His balance was slightly off but he was glad that he wasn't falling over.

Unfortunately it was enough movement to draw the shadows' attention and they lunged towards him. Allen panicked for a moment and stumbled back losing his footing and fell onto the ground. However, the shadows didn't get far when a blinding flash illuminated the bathroom and Allen didn't doubt for a second that it belonged to Belle's camera.

The shadows retreated back with painful screeches but Allen was satisfied that they were temporarily stunned. He quickly got to his feet and grabbed Belle's wrist and dragged her out to door before anything else could happen.

Outside Dan was waiting anxiously and seemed rather relieved that Allen and Belle were all right. Allen though had other ideas and hurried as far as his battered body could take before he was sure they were well away from any certain dangers.

'W-what happened?' Dan asked despite knowing what he had seen but still couldn't believe it. Allen shook his head but mostly to clear his own thoughts as he leaned against the wall and sank to the ground.

'They've gotten stronger,' Allen mumbled thinking back to the time when Belle's camera had made the books and mannequin stop instantly. The shadows were merely stunned and were far from defeated.

'But ghosts don't grow that strong…' Belle panted.

'This isn't the work of ghosts, but an akuma,' Allen chided as his gaze flickered from Dan to Belle and back again. He needed to see their reaction and the confusion shown to him just proved his point.

'I'm not suppose to tell you this but the cause behind most of the Seven Wonders is mostly likely an akuma,'

'How can you be sure? I mean, I heard of demons but this is ridiculous,' Dan was skeptical as he began to jot it down but Allen stood up and snatched the pad from him.

'I had the same thought when I met Cross but it is as real and as common as humans are,' Allen then lowered his voice.

'We are the reason why they exist…'

'If it's true then we have one in the school,' Belle was anxious now as her eyes flickered to either side of the dark corridor.

'No, this is an outside source, otherwise the other students might notice an absence,' Allen explained carefully but he was trying to figure out how he was going to let the others know about this too.

'Then what do we do about it?' Dan asked as he gazed at his notepad still in Allen's hand.

'We exorcizes it,' Dan laughed though Allen and Belle didn't find anything amusing as the boy slowly stopped and just looked wary.

'How?'

Allen was about to answer but was cut off when his body jolted violently and he leaned against the wall. His heart was pounding fast but he took deep breaths to try his best to settle his nerves.

'Allen…?' Belle asked but Allen ignored her as he stared above his head but his target wasn't the ceiling above them.

'It's on the roof!' Allen rushed to the staircase and started to climb up leaving Dan and Belle in confusion. But he heard their hurried footsteps on the stairs so he didn't doubt that they were following him.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Allen kicked open the door without bothering to check if it was open in the first place. He stepped out onto the roof, the black sky speckled with tiny points of light.

But the view was short lived as he saw a small figure standing a fair distance from them. They were almost invisible with the dark clothing they wore but their pale skin shone under the crescent moon.

Allen could feel his instincts telling him that this wasn't human but he couldn't dwell on it long when Belle and Dan emerged onto the roof.

'Allen why'd you…?' Dan paused as he stared at the figure that had Allen's attention and frowned. The figure registered their presence by turning to face them completely. Allen froze once he saw whom it was.

'Musk?' Allen blinked in utter disbelief as he stared at the small girl. There was no mistaking that this was Musk. She had the same dark grey hair that was pulled off her face by a white headband. She wore a dark gothic styled dress and a matching umbrella hanging lazily over her shoulder.

'You know her Allen?' Belle exclaimed as Musk proceeded to smile back but it wasn't the innocent smile he had seen before he had revealed Amber's death months ago.

'I did but she's most likely dead now,' Allen spoke taking up a defensive stance in front of the St Monica students.

'But she's standing in front of us…' but Allen cut Dan off.

'She's no longer human, that is an akuma,'

….

**Did you think I'd forget about Musk and Amber? No I had planned on their return ever since I killed Amber off in… I forgot the chapter XP**

**Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 18

….

Allen clenched his teeth together as he stared at the akuma wearing Musk's skin. He hadn't even thought any further than coming here and he was regretting it. The reason being that if the akuma decided to attack he couldn't use his innocence to protect Dan and Belle standing behind him.

'I'm surprised you remembered my favorite place, Allen-senpai,' the girl didn't move much as Allen blinked at it in shock. Hearing the akuma say this was startling but also frustrating because Amber had once used -senpai as well.

'It's kind of hard to forget something like this,' Allen muttered but Musk giggled and twirled around making her dress flutter about her.

'Why aren't you attacking?'

The akuma paused and tilted its head in thought. Then a mischievous grin spread across the girl's features before she held her hand in front of her. Allen took a cautious step back not knowing what to expect.

Suddenly a fearful shriek pierced Allen's ears as he recognized the voice.

'Belle!' He whipped around to see Dan crumpled on the ground most likely knocked unconscious with blood slowly pooling around his head. Belle seemed to be held around the neck in a tightening grip as Allen saw the same shadows appear from below their feet. She was struggling with her eyes wide with fear as she stared into the featureless face of the thing that held her.

'Aren't they wonderful, Allen-senpai? I can just create them and not have to lift a single finger,' Allen jumped as Musk appeared beside him; the akuma's eyes were filled with cruel delight.

'But that's not all they do…' Allen frowned in confusion but the feeling was mutual when he felt a cold sensation ripple through his entire body.

'What…?' Allen gapped as he registered an icy grip one both his arms. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that a shadow being had gotten behind him and was slowly melding into his body. It was like it was trying to possess him or something.

To say he was horrified was an understatement as he struggled to free himself from the steel-like grip. Musk, no, the akuma watched at his futile attempts to escape with unsympathetic amusement.

'Fighting is pointless, Allen-senpai especially since Noah-sama made a mess of your innocence,' the girl chided as she continued to watch the struggles of the captured humans. Allen ignored her and didn't stop his squirming, he had his pride and he'd be damned if he gave up now.

A bright light flashed out of nowhere and the shadows cringed and released an unearthly scream. Musk covered her eyes and stumbled back before falling over onto her behind. Allen was slightly puzzled for a second but he could feel the shadows grip loosen. He spun around quickly and jumped back, landing beside the still unconscious Dan.

'Are you alright?' Belle was holding up her camera looking rather pale but she forced a smile anyway. Allen bit back a retort and swallowed.

'Get the other students from my school up and here, I'll do my best to protect Dan,' Allen said instead as he kept a firm eye on the akuma slowly recovering from the flash.

'But…' Allen growled and whipped his head around to glare at the hesitant girl. Belle took an uneasy step back as Allen fought to bring the words to his lips.

'I can't defeat her in the state I'm in, now hurry!' Belle finally darted away after that and Allen hoped she would hurry. He turned back just as the akuma got itself steady on its feet.

'Well that was unexpected and annoying,' Musk grizzled into her hand as she glanced around her and found that her familiars had temporarily retreated. Then her now black and gold eyes fell onto Allen standing there with only one person behind him.

'Where's the other one?'

'That's not your business because I'm your opponent,' Allen spoke as he stared back at the small girl whom sighed seemingly not amused.

'Fine… but you will not last long,' Musk's body soon took on a purple hue and Allen took a hasty step back not knowing what this was going to do. Suddenly a strong wind whipped around them and he was forced to close his eyes.

Allen opened them quickly; knowing that taking his eyes off of his opponent could potential mean death for him. The human body of Musk was no longer standing there in front of him. Instead it was her akuma form standing before him.

The akuma stood at least a metre taller than him and the dark purple armor glinted in the dim moonlight. Allen couldn't help but stare in disbelief; Musk was a level three akuma already.

He wasn't sure about the evolution of akuma but this was too quick and very disturbing as the akuma chuckled at Allen.

'Are you still sure you want to fight me?' Allen swallowed dryly knowing his odds just plummeted to an undefined range. No, he had to do this… he was the cause of this monstrosity…

'Bring it,' Allen spoke trying to erase his uncertainty from his voice and body with those two words. The akuma sighed and raised its hand above its head. A purple orb appeared before it lengthened and a scythe was held within its grip.

Allen jumped back quickly as it swung it down and missed him by a breath. This akuma was quick and knew how to fight despite using familiars. But through all of this, Allen couldn't help but feel a small smile tug at his lips.

So typical…

He stopped and changed his direction, heading away from Dan to keep the St Monica student safe. The Akuma followed but its speed was too quick for Allen as he realized that it was now behind him.

Allen ducked as the scythe's curved blade whizzed past his head but the akuma brought its knee up and into his abdomen. He tumbled across the concrete ground and the pain that raced through his body.

'I told you it was pointless Allen-senpai,' it said as it hovered above him, the scythe was slung over its shoulder. Allen coughed and tasted copper on his tongue before meeting its eye.

_A reflection of ones darkness_... It was a thought that flashed through Allen's head when he stared at this thing. He could remember Amber telling him that his parents chased after the supernatural; familiars were that, weren't they? Then there was its primary weapon, a scythe, looking almost similar to the one Amber had wielded before he died.

A reflection of them both… could he really destroy it?

'Ah they returned finally,' the akuma spoke to itself as Allen came out of his thoughts. He only had an idea about what it meant by that as he slowly got to his unsteady feet. Allen could only hope that Belle would get the others quickly.

'I'm going to kill you now, Allen-senpai,' Allen didn't move as the akuma raised its scythe above its head. Allen just stared at it; he didn't want to die even if this was his fault. No, it wasn't his fault, Musk should have known of the risks and she willingly went against them. That was because they promised to die together.

'I won't die…' The scythe came down at the exact moment Allen felt a pulse within his left arm and a white light erupted between them. Allen closed his eyes but he could hear the akuma screech in pain as it wheeled back and away from the light.

The sound of fluttering cloth seemed to envelop Allen in warmth as Allen finally decided to open his eyes again. The akuma was crouching a fair distance from him. Allen could hear the sizzling coming from it as it hissed in pain.

'What…?' it was all the akuma could comprehend as Allen winced and gripped his right hand over his left arm. The discolored skin was hot and jolts of pain threatened to buckle Allen's knees.

His eyes then fell on the white cloak wrapped protectively over his shoulder and Allen couldn't help but wonder what this was.

'I-impossible, Noah-sama should have practically destroyed it!' the akuma was stuttering as it got back up on its feet with its scythe in hand. Allen wasn't so sure as his knees finally gave way and he ended up on the ground withering in pain.

The whiteness surrounding slowly began to dissipate… had it only appeared because he was about to die? The akuma laughed aloud as it saw this and made a lunge forward, ready to decapitate him.

'Stop!' The Akuma paused and Allen stared bewilderedly at it as the akuma snapped its head to the side. Allen followed its gaze and saw a ghostly apparition appear near the edge of the building.

Allen squinted as he made out the appearance of a woman seemingly wearing a loose top and long flowing skirt. Her hair flowed around her head and obscured her eyes so that Allen couldn't see them. The woman looked familiar but at the same time he didn't know her… Why was it nagging him so badly?

'But Mistress…'

'Not another word, the Earl said to retreat,' the akuma seemed solemn to do so but its weapon disappeared from its hand and it darted off into the night. The apparition however, didn't disappear soon but turned slowly to Allen and smiled. It wasn't a nice one and it just sent shivers up Allen's spine.

'Keep this a secret little one,' the woman smirked holding a figure to her lips as Allen frowned at her before she disappeared into thin air. He could have almost put it off as his imagination.

The cloak dissolved then and left Allen feeling a little cold and lonely without it as he heard the door bang open in haste. Lenalee was there with Phoenix not far behind her. Belle was then seen kneeling next to Dan who was finally gaining consciousness.

'Allen what's going on? This girl kept saying something about an akuma,' Lenalee seemed worried as Allen fixed her with a frown.

'Yeah there was but it mysteriously ran off,' Allen was still pondering about telling her and Phoenix about the mysterious woman but then shrugged. He got to his feet and dusted himself off though Lenalee seemed to be eyeing the dark patches on his pale pajamas.

'You shouldn't have fought the akuma Allen, without your innocence…'

'I'm aware of that Lenalee,' Allen snapped quickly as Lenalee shut her mouth quickly. Phoenix just snickered and earned a quick glare from Lenalee.

'Even so, I'm going to contact brother tomorrow, if an akuma really showed up, it might do it again,' Lenalee was concerned about this and Allen didn't care what she did about it. He was too focused on where he had seen that woman before. It was enough to feel him with dread but at the same time peace…?

'I'm going to bed,' Allen said out of nowhere as he walked past Lenalee and headed for the stairs.

'Good night!' Phoenix called cheerily after him as if there hadn't been a suffocating silence just a moment ago.

….

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, I had started TAFE so I had that and also a little writer's block but everything should be a-ok for now…**

**Please leave a REVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 19

….

'Do you have any idea of just how dangerous that was?' Lenalee fumed as they preoccupied an empty classroom during lunchtime. Allen rolled his eyes; he wasn't in the mood to explain about anything that had happened last night. He had kept his mouth shut about the woman and the fact that the akuma was once Musk.

The others were present in the room, listening intently to the infuriated Lenalee. Well most of them were, Limina had decided her book was more interesting and proceeded to read. Kanda leaned against the wall nearest the door probably for a quick escape once this was over. Phoenix looked like she was having a blasted but Allen wasn't sure about what or who was entertaining her the most.

Jesse and Lavi stood a few desks back almost not willing to intervene with Lenalee this agitated.

'What is your point Lenalee?' Allen finally growled as his silver eyes met deep purple.

'You aren't listening, Allen, those St Monica students got exposed to what we do and brother said to keep a low profile,' Lenalee insisted with her hands on her hips. Allen snorted in amusement.

'I had warned them of the risks so it isn't my fault,' Allen snapped but Lenalee didn't seem finished as he tried to leave his seat. She quickly blocked his route and slammed her fist down on the desk in front of him.

'Not your fault! We had to convince the boy that he fell down some stairs and the girl promised to keep quiet,' Allen sunk in his seat. Being in this position reminded him awfully of that one time he had to go to juvenile court years back. He never liked the feeling of intimidation, particularly from those cocky bastards with a high degree in Law.

'Whose right do you have to question everything I fucking do? My life isn't yours and I ain't nobody's puppet!' Allen shouted as he slammed his only hand against the desk and leaving a visible crack in it. Lenalee wheeled back in shock and pain but it wasn't of the physical kind.

'No one is controlling you Allen, you knew to understand the rules…' Lenalee murmured her straight fringe falling over her eyes before she ran out of the room. Allen stared at her retreating form feeling slightly relieved that that was finally over.

'A-Allen, you do know that it's a bad thing to make Lenalee cry…' Lavi seem to speak up but flinched when Allen sent him a glare that made him cower behind the desk.

'I didn't hear that Lavi~' Jesse and Lavi quickly left the room and Kanda was nowhere to be seen. The she-man had probably left the room as soon as Lenalee had. All that remained was he, Phoenix and Limina. Not that the small girl would have noticed with how engrossed she was in her book.

'It's been a while since I've seen her cry that hard,'

'Excuse me?' Allen narrowed his eyes at the redheaded girl whom just smiled with unnaturally calmness.

'I think the last time she cried was when Rouvelier showed up out of the blue two years ago,' Phoenix snickered to herself as Allen decided it was best to ignore the strange fiery girl.

Allen sighed and sank back down in his chair and stared as he still paralyzed arm. He went through the event of last night over and over again in his head. The mysterious woman who seemed so familiar, Musk being an akuma and almost killing him…

He frowned as he focused his thoughts briefly on his left arm, he could have swore that it twitched just then.

'Your hand won't move if you look at it like that,' Allen blinked as he saw Limina crouching down beside him and staring at his left hand with dull eyes. He was shocked that the girl had pulled herself from her book that he almost fell from his chair.

'Shit, don't do that!' Allen snarled but he felt embarrassed that such a young girl could surprise him so easily.

'… I was only stating a fact,'

'That wasn't what I meant,' Allen muttered under his breath but whether Limina heard it, he couldn't tell because her face lacked any normal expression a girl her age would have. Almost like a poker face… her innocence was a deck of cards after all!

Limina didn't say anything and continued to stare at his hand before her long pale hair shifted slightly and a single card floated up out of nowhere. Her eyes fluttered to the glowing card before it slipped back into her sleeve.

'I see…' Allen went rigid as he tried to restrain himself from hurting the little girl. Limina took no notice again and stood up and walked out of the room. For the life of him, Allen would never understand that tiny girl.

….

The afternoon soon drew to a close and Allen rested at the back of the class of about fifteen other students. Most of which, were St Monica students. It was a music class and one thing he mildly enjoyed.

It was peaceful, when the teacher didn't singing opera, and enjoyed the only moment of solitude he had from the rest of the group from Our Sacred Heart.

The only bad thing… Belle had the same class as him and had situated herself right next to him. She had kept trying to get his attention the moment she saw him at the back of the classroom. Allen knew it was about what had happened last night.

'Belle, if you keep harassing the exchange student I'll give you a weeks detention,' the music teacher trilled from the front of the room. Belle quieted down a bit and Allen was left to wonder how the teacher managed to get into music… honestly she could hold a perfect tune even if she tried.

'Now let's begin with a simple hymn 'The Divine Shepherd' and everyone is to participate or you'll be singing by yourself in front of the entire class,' the teacher eyed each of them sternly with her almond eyes. Her gaze often fell on Allen because she suspected him of miming the words, which he did.

He hated songs about God and did his very best to avoid singing them.

'_The Lord is my shepherd that I shall not want_

_ He makes me lie down in green pastures_

_He leads me beside still waters_'

Allen mouthed the words as he looked to the blackboard. He hated anything that had reference to anything God and Holy and innocence was no exception even if he had one as his arm.

'Mr. Walker thank you for being the first to sing in front of the class,' Allen blinked as he trained his gaze onto the teacher. He caught the smugness of her look in both her eyes and fake smile… That bitch!

'But I was singing ma'am,' Allen lied but the woman just smirked.

'There is a difference between singing the words and mouthing them young man,' some students in the class giggled as Allen slowly gave in and walked to the front as the teacher beckoned him to stand.

He did so but he was reluctant to say anything.

'Now Mr. Walker you my choose a song, any as long as it is decent and practical,' the teacher trilled as Allen ignored the hand on his shoulder and snickered… anything… Allen felt his left hand twitch again as Allen ducked under the woman's arm and trailed to the piano sitting off to the side of the blackboard.

It was a quaint thing that was nothing like the grand piano back at the other school. Allen sat down at the stool. The teacher frowned at him, her lips pursed as if she was trying to contemplate between telling him off or letting him go ahead.

Allen didn't bother waiting as his right hand fumbled with the knot at the back of his neck and his sling came loose. His left arm seemed to respond with a gentle flex of the fingers. He still had to manually place his hand on the keys but it didn't bother him much when the hand responded with pressing the first note.

The music was a jumbled mess at first as Allen focused beyond the numb feeling in his left arm. Soon the music smoothed out and Allen hummed softly before opening his mouth.

'_If I had to, I would put myself right beside you,_

_So let me ask,_

_Would you like that?_

_Would you like that?_'

The class fell silent as Allen's voice filled the room and the music danced from his hands running across the piano's keys.

'_And I don't mind, if you say this love is the last time,_

_So now I'll ask,_

_Do you like that?_

_Do you like that?_

_Something's getting in the way._

_Something's just about to break._

_I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane._

_So tell me how it should be._'

Allen blocked everything else out as he continued to focus on the music as a dull pain slowly rose in his left arm.

'_Try to find out what makes you tick._

_As I lie down, sore and sick._

_Do you like that?_

_Do you like that?_

_There's a fine line between love and hate._

_And I don't mind,_

_Just let me say that,_

_I like that,_

_I like that!_

_Something's getting in the way._

_Something's just about to break._

_I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane._

_As I burn another page,_

_As I look the other way._

_I still try to find my place in the diary of Jane._

_So tell me how it should be._'

He broke into a small encore and let his fingers glide across the keys finding the right keys, despite the difficulty of using his left arm. But Allen didn't want to rush or stop suddenly.

'_Desperate, I will crawl_

_Waiting for so long_

_No love, there is no love._

_Die for anyone_

_What have I become?_

_Something's getting in the way._

_Something's just about to break._

_I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane._

_As I burn another page,_

_As I look the other way._

_I still try to find my place in the diary of Jane._'

Allen finished and looked up at the rest of the class. But the calmness didn't last long as a sharp pain finally registered in his left arm. A painful hiss escaped his mouth as his right hand gripped his left in a bid to try and quell it.

The teacher quickly recovered and was by his side in an instant.

'You shouldn't be pushing yourself like that,' her concern slightly pissed Allen off but couldn't help but think that this was a small feat that would see him moving it properly soon.

'It needed the exercise,' Allen halfheartedly joked as he redid the sling and went back to his seat. Belle was smiling at him and Allen began to get a bad feeling.

'Mention this to no one,' Allen muttered but Belle smile grew wider.

'I'm not the only one you should be saying that too, Allen,' Belle replied as Allen went to sit down when a suddenly felt lightheaded and his hand missed the table. The dreaded feeling was back again and he knew too well that it wasn't a good sign. No, it definitely felt worse than before.

'Allen, are you alright?' Belle was beside him in an instant and it was only then that Allen realized his fall had caused a good deal of noise.

'Y-yeah…' but Allen couldn't stop the shudder that shook his body as he slipped into his chair carefully. His mind went straight to the ghostly woman that had appeared and stopped Musk from killing him. Had there been a plan to regroup and attack again when the woman had said for the akuma to retreat?

'Shit!' Allen got up from his seat and raced out of the classroom before his teacher could say anything about foul language and leaving the room. He had to move fast if what he thought could happen did.

He quickly made his way to the gymnasium, it was the closest thing to the music room and Lenalee was there with Phoenix doing gymnastics with a few other girls. Allen slammed the doors open and gained the attention of everyone in the room.

The girls were scattered about the room wearing leotards underneath a loose shirt. Allen felt his cheeks heat up slightly but he shook his head before he found the two he was looking for.

Lenalee and Phoenix were over on the beam and they were both staring at him in shock and confusion.

'What's up Moyashi?' Phoenix greeted him casually as if she hadn't noticed his flushed state. Luckily for her Allen ignored what she had called him and stared at the teacher, a rather muscular woman whom was tall and tanned.

'Sorry but can I borrow Lenalee and Phoenix for a bit,' Allen said as the woman raised an eyebrow and shrugged and turned back to directing the other girls to go back to work.

Lenalee and Phoenix followed Allen outside where Lenalee eyed him in concern.

'Allen what's wrong?' she asked as Allen took in some deep breaths before trying to speak.

'Last night, the akuma strangely went off into the night before it had a chance to kill me,' Allen panted keeping the fact that the apparition of a woman had ordered it to go back a secret.

'Yeah?' Phoenix cocked her head to the side waiting eagerly for Allen to finish.

'It might be coming back but with extra help,' Lenalee's eyes widened in fear as she clasped her hands over her mouth to stop herself from shouting aloud. Phoenix, however, looked very amused.

'Finally I can get some action,' Phoenix was grinning evilly as Allen couldn't help but shiver.

'But there are other people in this school who aren't even aware of akuma and innocence,' Lenalee explained as Allen coughed.

'Do you think that the akuma will fucking care whose here?' Allen snapped urgently as the girls looked at each other and nodded.

'I'll go to the library, Lavi and Limina will most likely be there,' Phoenix volunteered before hurrying off towards the main building. Lenalee sighed with annoyance and turned to Allen.

'I'll look for Kanda and Jesse so please stay out of trouble till then Allen,' Allen growled just as Lenalee dashed off as well leaving him to stand outside the gym. His eyes then fell on the sinking sun. The sun stained the sky a deep orange as Allen frowned.

He might as well go against Lenalee's wishes.

….

**Another chapter for you guys, HURRAY!**

**The song Allen sings is 'The Diary of Jane' by Breaking Benjamin and I think that's it… oh right~ the Divine Shepherd comes from the Bible Psalms 26 or something.**

**Anything else…? Nope- so please leave a REVIEW =3**


	20. Chapter 20

….

Allen briskly walked back to his music class where he could hear the teacher droning on about Mozart and Beethoven. It was about the time she began asking questions that Allen rudely interrupted.

'Hey Teacher, can I borrow Belle for a sec?' The woman glowered at him, muttering about how rude he was to disrupt her class again before agreeing. Belle seemed slightly relieved as she gathered her books and met him at the door.

Allen frowned when he heard several girls whispering suspiciously but he ignored them.

'Allen…'

'Leave those things here and bring your camera,' Belle blinked as she looked down at her books then back up at him.

'Why?' Belle asked as confusion clouded her usually bright eyes. But she slipped her hand into her blazer pocket and pulled out the digital camera.

'Just trust me,' was all Allen was going to give her as he grabbed her hand and quickly dragged her back to the front of the gymnasium. Phoenix was already there with Lavi and Limina standing beside her.

From the looks of things, Lavi had said something that irritated the redheaded girl because she tackled him to the floor and twisted his arm violently upwards. Limina just watched with disdain probably wondering why she was even here in the first place.

'Take that fucking back ya fucking Rabbit or I'll put ya on my menu for barbecue special!' Belle just paled beside Allen as she gazed up at him.

'Should we intervene?'

'Their fine, Lavi had asked for it after all,' his words were loud enough to attract a glance from Limina and Lavi though Belle wasn't convinced.

'Moyashi help me!' Lavi was pleading but Allen fixed him with a dark glare as he folded his arms.

'Phoenix…' Phoenix just smiled in understanding as she jabbed her knee into Lavi's back causing him to yelp.

'Your both mean…'

'Phoenix let Lavi go now,' they spun around and looked at Lenalee approaching them with Jesse and Kanda close behind her. Phoenix did it, though rather reluctantly as she allowed the rabbit to scamper to Lenalee and hug his savior's waist. It was about then that he noticed Belle.

'What's a St Monica student doing here?' Lavi spoke and Allen felt Belle back up behind him and gripped his blazer tightly.

'You'll understand later, it isn't important now…'

'It is! I told you not to…'

'Interrupt me again Lenalee, just try it!' the Chinese girl fell silent as Allen huffed with irritation before feeling a sense of distraction.

'They're not far now,' Allen muttered before turning to Belle.

'Is there a larger area we can go to?' Belle thought for a bit.

'The oval is pretty big and is also a good distance from the building,' Belle said though she wasn't certain about why Allen needed the information. Allen felt Lavi eye him curiously.

'What's your plan moyashi?' Allen twitched when he heard the nickname and felt a sudden urge to punch the idiot. No, they didn't have the time for that; he'll just have to remind himself to do it later.

'Akuma can sense innocence, right? If we gather in a single area we'd be drawing them away from those who aren't us,' Allen explained and glanced away as some stared at him with wide eyes.

'Well I'm amused that someone had a fucking idea,' Kanda grunted as he revealed his katana from the folds of his coat. Allen frowned at the she-man and snorted.

'Whining about it won't get us anywhere, Bakanda!'

'What do you say moyashi?'

'Enough you two! Let's just hurry,' Lenalee said stepping in between them as they hurried down to the oval with Belle leading the way.

They arrived quickly and stood in the middle of the well-clipped grassy area. White markings were barely visible in the fading light. Allen took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. The dreaded feeling was back again and stronger than before as it made him feel strangely lightheaded.

'It's quiet,' Lavi said softly as they strained their ears for any sounds. There wasn't any and not even a peep, normally there'd be birds causing a racket about now and even with the school behind them… there was nothing to be heard.

'Innocence activate,' Allen heard Limina whisper as cards began to move about them with a soft green glow. He heard Belle gasp in awe as the innocence encircled them in some type of sphere.

'I don't get it Allen, how can you be sure that they'll show up,' Allen flinched at the question; he was hoping that he didn't have to say anything about it at all.

'Don't ask but I can somehow sense them, just not where from or how many,' Allen said carefully. Lavi was skeptical and Kanda glared at him like he was insane, which he might just be.

'Well I believe Allen, he kept me safe during the attack on the school,' Lenalee spoke up, which Allen couldn't help but be grateful for despite everything that had happened between them.

'He warned me of an akuma attack when we were escorting him,' Limina said though she held no sincerity in her voice. Allen stopped himself from growling at the small girl.

'He also led us to the akuma that was on the roof and causing our Seven Wonders of St Monica,' Belle broke in as well as Lavi seemed deep in thought.

'I suppose…'

'Look out baka usagi!' Kanda shouted angrily as Phoenix reacted first and hurled a fireball at a purple orb zooming towards them. Then fire and the orb collided and exploded above them, smoking obscuring their view of the sky. Allen could feel Belle's grip tighten again as he tried to see past the smoke.

Only when it cleared did they see the mass of akuma hovering above their heads. It wasn't as many as the swarm that had attacked the school but it was decent and fearful enough.

'So the moyashi was right…' Kanda growled as he unsheathed mugen and held it in front of him.

'It's Allen Bakanda!' Allen snarled at his back.

'Gathering in one place, how thoughtful and convenient for us,' a voice cut through the silence as a level three descended from the group and landed a good distance away from them. Allen went rigid as he recognized it from last night.

It was Musk's akuma form! How he could tell was the large scythe it carried in its hand.

'A level three!' Lavi exclaimed as he reached for the hammer at his side and activated it. The akuma tilted its head to the side as if to observe them and Allen sensed the murderous intent in the air above him.

'Attack!'

Lenalee activated her innocence.

'Limina keep the akuma from getting past us,' Lenalee cried out in urgency as she soared into the sky. The small girl nodded her head as she gathered her cards and shot them at the nearest level two akuma to rush past her.

Allen took a step back as an akuma came for him but Jesse intervened and sliced its arms off with his boomerangs. With another flick of his wrists, the akuma was sliced into three large chunks.

'Betta get back, mate,' Jesse spoke before catching one boomerang and hurling the other. Allen gritted his teeth as the blonde exorcist leapt into the fray. His eyes scanning the field, Phoenix was easy to see because of her glowing red flames that emitted from her body.

Allen couldn't see Kanda or Lenalee but suspected that they were in the thick of it. Lavi and Jesse stood back to aid Limina in holding the akuma back. He felt helpless but not alone as he remembered Belle being behind him.

Her eyes were wide at the creatures she had never thought to have existed… they never should, Allen couldn't help but think ruefully…

Allen felt a tingle on the back of his neck and took hold of Belle and jumped back. His reaction was slow as a level two burst out from the ground and aimed a punch. Allen twisted his body to shield Belle and lifted his left arm to block the blow before being knocked back.

He could hear Belle scream as they tumbled across the ground but she was relatively unharmed except for a few scrapes and bruises.

'Allen!' He barely heard Lavi call out to him as Allen undid the sling and let the fabric fall to the ground. The akuma was coming towards him its oversized arms swung to take him out.

Allen met the blow, gripping the fist as best he could with his less than mobile left arm. He ignored the pain that rippled through his arm as he slowly pushed the surprised akuma back.

The akuma didn't back down though as it raised its other spare hand to land a hit at Allen's exposed side. That would have happened if Belle hadn't interfered and sent a blinding flash from the light of her camera.

'Argh, you bitch!' The akuma wielded back in pain almost like the time Belle had done it to Musk last night. It flailed around for a bit before it swung an arm at her and Belle was knocked back violently.

'Belle!' Allen shouted but had to refocus his attention onto the akuma as it threw another punch at him. The blow caught him in his chest but Allen wasn't going to be taken as a pushover and dug his fingers into the pudgy flesh of the akuma's arm.

The akuma shrieked in pain because Allen had used his left hand and tried to get a better grip with his right. The akuma waved its arm about as Allen began to slip from the akuma's arm. Just when he was about to, a clawed hand gripped Allen's scalp and pulled him off.

'_**Just because we think they are evil doesn't mean all of them are,' **_

Allen blinked through the pain as the akuma began to crush his skull, the voice of an old man… he knew that voice but from where?

'Allen!' Belle seemed to have recovered now and another flash occurred causing the akuma to drop Allen to the ground.

'_**When I look at the enemy, my mind is filled with trivial questions; does he have a wife or sweetheart awaiting his return? Is this man a father or brother or son back in his country?' **_

Allen felt someone grab his blazer and pulled him away before the akuma could pummel his body into the ground. He could hear crying, a sad continuous wail coming from above him.

'_**It is easy to say they are wrong because it is harder to understand why they do it, to seek the truth,' **_

Allen couldn't remember who had said that, it hurt his head to think more but he couldn't help but listen to the old voice of reason. A voice that seemed wise and experienced with these things.

Humans were the cause of these akuma but what was the tragedy that caused them to come to being? Allen vision blurred slightly as he thought about it. He hated humans because they started war, brings harm to one another and took advantage of those without a voice.

This was the cruel world he had come to know but was he wrong? No, there were still those types of people but there was another… those who deserved to live? Musk and Amber had wanted to live but because of the action of others, this was destroyed.

Were there others like them who were wronged by another human being? Allen closed his eyes, he still hated this world but that didn't stop other people from living to the best they could in the circumstances given.

He hated because he feared to know the truth, just like that voice had said. Was he too ignorant of other people's feelings? Allen couldn't help but chuckle as he felt something warm and wet drop onto his face.

'Allen please wakes up,'

'I'll try…' Allen murmured under his breath but not to the voice that had spoken. He knew that he should begin to look for the light in a world of darkness… to understand this world.

Allen felt a warm pulse flow from his left arm as he opened his eyes again. Belle was crying above him, her tears dampened her cheeks but it was what was above her that caused him to act.

'Belle!' Allen knew it was too late to move as he realized that the akuma was going to trample them. He sat up and shielded Belle away from the sight and once again Allen felt warmth wrap around his shoulders.

Allen felt the force of the impacted but it wasn't painful. Allen blinked as the whiteness surrounding both him and Belle disappeared and gathered off his shoulders. The akuma stood back with a dazed look on its face as if it was trying to comprehend what had happened.

He shifted on his knees and was ready to attack when he realized something. His left arm responded and without any pain. Allen gazed down and saw his left arm activated in a claw with long black talons. The surface was smooth and more average sized compared with the large silver claw it had once been.

Unfortunately Allen couldn't marvel at it for long as he sensed the akuma lunge towards him but Allen was hesitant to move. Belle was still behind him.

'Don't think you've won brat!' it hissed as Allen felt rather pissed off being called a brat. He stepped forward with his left arm raised and swiped across the akuma with as much ease as slicing butter.

This shocked Allen because he hadn't expected his innocence to be this powerful and he stumbled as the akuma exploded. Allen gazed at the claw again but with slight curiosity about how far it could go.

'Allen, behind you!' Allen closed his eyes as Belle aimed her camera at something behind him and he heard a screech. Allen whipped around and saw another akuma trying to attack him when his guard was down and destroyed it quickly.

'Thanks Belle,' Allen said as he gazed around the oval, the akuma were beginning to lack in numbers but there was one akuma in particular that he wanted to find.

He finally found it, the level three that had once been Musk. It was hovering off to the side of the fighting probably observing them fighting before Allen dashed forward. What he hadn't noticed was that he had past Lavi and Jesse to do so and they seemed to exchange baffled looks.

Focusing on the cowl covering his shoulders, Allen sent a white ribbon out and bound it around the akuma's leg. The akuma seemed to blink out of whatever trance it was in as Allen hurled it towards the ground.

The level three didn't seem that hurt as it picked itself out of the ground and stared at him. It was easy to see that it was slightly annoyed.

'I suppose you're here to finish what we started last night?' Allen shifted into a fighting stance and smirked.

'No, I'm going to fulfil the promise you made together,' the akuma cocked its head to the side as if puzzled.

'Amber and Musk had wished to fight together and die together, besides I am partly responsible for your creation…' Allen lunged forward as the akuma summoned its scythe with a rather irritated cry.

'How sweet, Allen-senpai? But I have no intention of dying soon,' Allen lifted his left arm and blocked the scythe.

'Neither do I,' they quickly broke apart and Allen gathered energy into his left hand before swiping it at the akuma. The level three retaliated by slashing the white light with its scythe, dissipating it.

'You're going to have to do better than that,' the akuma scoffed as it lunged forward and Allen met it halfway again as they sparred. Sparks flew when dark matter collided with innocence as Allen made note of how easier it was to wield his innocence now that he was beginning to get the hang of it.

It was lighter and allowed him to move at his desired speed. It also fitted perfectly with his street fighting style but he still wasn't use to the cloak fluttering about him.

The cowl would move on its own sometimes when the akuma slipped past Allen's defense. But with the new power and control, Allen couldn't help but notice that there was still something… missing…

Allen flipped away from the akuma and jumped into the air above it trying to find a blind spot. It didn't have any as it took a swipe at him. Allen panted and realized that he was getting exhausted just from keeping his new innocence active.

'You're tiring Allen-senpai…' Allen paused and listened to his haggard breathing, he didn't even have time to block the next blow coming at him. A dark blur rushed past Allen and he quickly recognized the long dark hair of Kanda as he clashed his sword against the akuma's scythe.

Allen then felt the presence of the others, Lenalee, Jesse, Lavi, Limina and Belle. They stood around him as the akuma jumped into the air and hovered, gazing around.

The oval was in ruin with giant holes and ripped up soil scattered around them. But not once did it find a fellow akuma still alive.

'I suppose that's it, Allen-senpai, I'll bid you exorcists farewell then,' the akuma bowed before fleeing into the setting sun.

'What was that about?' Lavi asked somewhat to himself as he stared at Allen with suspicion. Allen could only guess what he was thinking.

'Who knows,' Allen sighed and deactivated his innocence. He still didn't want them to know that that had once been their comrade.

'You've got some fucking explaining to do moyashi,' Kanda snapped as Allen glared at him in turn.

'And what's that suppose to mean?' Allen retorted before he saw Kanda's dark eyes flicker to the St Monica student beside him. Belle seemed slightly afraid as Allen turned to her.

'Can I borrow your camera Belle? I promise I'll get Komui to get you a new one,' Allen smiled politely as Belle handed the camera over only to process the finally part of his words.

'Wait!' It was too late as Allen crushed the camera in his left hand and the pieces fell from around a glowing green cube.

'Innocence? So that's why you asked the girl to join us,' Lavi said with a cheeky grin and wink on his face. Allen ignored him and turned back to Belle.

'I began to notice it when Belle showed me the pictures that it took, it clearly outlined dark matter and it may distinguish innocence,' Allen explained as Belle looked slightly heartbroken as he handed back the remains of her camera.

'So she's also an accommodator?' Lenalee spoke then looking rather worryingly at Belle. Phoenix chuckled darkly as she eyed the girl with ruby-red eyes.

'Then there were eight little lambs waiting to be slaughtered,'

'Phoenix must you say that!' Lenalee exclaimed as she clasped the redheaded girl by the shoulders and shook her while Allen watched Belle tremble. It was true, what Phoenix had said though it was very disturbing.

'Don't worry sheila, we're in this together,' Jesse said comfortingly as he patted her head. Belle smiled at him.

'Okay,'

'I better call brother then and tell him of…'

'What are you students doing here…?' Another much older voice called to them as they turned and saw the woman that had greeted them on the first day. Her eyes were wide as she assessed the state of the oval and then at the exhausted students with torn uniforms.

Allen couldn't help but sigh, they were going to be in for it.

….

**Hiya folks! Here's another chapter up for you so please enjoy it.**

**Hoping to move on from this part and onto the next so please leave a REVIEW while you wait =D**


	21. Chapter 21

….

Allen sat in the reception area along with Phoenix, Lenalee, Limina, Jesse, Kanda and Lavi. Belle was also there sitting across from him, her eyes still transfixed on the innocence fragment in her hand.

The woman who had found them yesterday told them to meet here this morning. Lenalee however, got onto the phone and rang Komui as soon as they were escorted back to their designated rooms.

To be frank, Allen was glad that the maniacal scientist was called because he came almost instantly the next morning. Komui had been, as of now, in the St Monica Principal's office for over two hours.

Their words were usually hushed but there were times when it got heated.

'Mr. Lee, may I remind you that I run a normal school and that is exactly how I'd like it to remain!' Allen banged the back of his head against the wall as the voices started up again.

'I'm fully aware of that Mr. Hart but my students are obliged to destroy akuma if they happened to wonder onto school grounds,' that was Komui being the reasonable voice compared the to rage that was indeed the principal.

'That doesn't mean involving a single one of my students!' Belle looked up at that and her eyes met Allen's briefly before she focused back on the small glowing cube.

'On the subject of Belle Murray, she needs to be immediately transferred to Our Sacred Heart Academy,'

'Do not change the subject Mr. Lee!'

Allen covered his ears then and groaned aloud. He didn't want to be here as much as the others. He could tell by their faraway expressions and posture as they slumped in their seats looking bored.

Allen sighed and began mulling over what had happened during the past two days… or was it three? Musk returning as an akuma and the mysterious yet familiar woman that Allen still hadn't mentioned to the others and wasn't going to anytime soon until he understood better. Then his innocence gaining a new form…

He glanced at his left hand, studying it briefly. He had regained most of its movements but there was still a numb sensation as he flexed his fingers.

A light in a world of darkness… that's what Allen believed now, he just needed to find it.

Suddenly the door opened and Komui walked out with a devious looking smile that Allen had come to dread from the unstable man. Behind him was the principal looking as sour as ever.

'The transfer will be complete this week but who will advise her parents?' the principal asked as Komui nodded his head thoughtfully.

'The administration office at our school will handle that, so don't worry about it,' Komui said but Allen noted the hesitant tone in his voice, luckily the principal hadn't noticed. Komui then turned to them as he adjusted his glasses.

'Okay, you'll be returning back to school so pack up your things, this includes Belle as well,' then Komui skipped over and wrapped his arms around an irritated Lenalee.

'Now I'll get to have sweet Lenalee's coffee everyday again!'

WHACK!

Allen winced as Lenalee slammed her fist into her brother's head. The grown man sank to the ground with a painful whimper. Lenalee scowled at him for a second before looking at them.

'Well let's get packing,' Lenalee said with a grin as if she had never hit Komui in the first place.

'Will he be alright?' Belle asked looking down at the unconscious Komui.

'I wouldn't worry, it happens all the time,' Lavi said patting her back as they bustled out of the reception where Allen noticed a student waiting outside.

Allen recognized Dan whom wore a rather concerned frown.

'You guys go on ahead,' Allen muttered to Lavi and the rest walked off leaving Belle and him alone with Dan.

'I heard the rumors, are you really going to Sacred Heart now Belle?' Dan asked sadly as Belle nodded slowly.

'If we all had the choice none of us would go,' Allen snorted in annoyance but to no one in particular. His hand trailed up his blazer and fingered the silvery rose cross adorning his uniform.

'Wearing this, you become a walking target to akuma and nowhere is safe,' Allen muttered the last part but Dan and Belle still heard his words.

'Then who's going to be my journalist buddy if you leave?' Dan said suddenly in a light tone. Allen watched him smile sadly as he wrapped his arm around Belle.

'I'm sure if you advertise, you'll have a few begging for the position,' Belle laughed back and patted Dan's hand gently. Then Allen realized that Dan was looking at him.

'Can you promise me that you'll protect Belle?'

'I can't promise that Dan,' Allen said darkly as he avoided looking Dan in the eyes. Promises were a waste of breath if you go to the school he went to. Dan looked bothered by this but strained a smile anyway.

'Okay then, you guys better hurry and get packed,' Dan said as he walked away with a wave of his hand. Allen and Belle watched him leave before continuing on towards the dormitories.

….

The bus drive back was just as eventful as the drive to St Monica. Lavi was almost killed, twice, for annoying Kanda while Jesse tried to be the peacemaker. Phoenix and Lenalee bickered only when they got into each other's hair. Allen didn't hear a peep out of Limina who sat at the front of the bus while Belle looked out of place still wearing her St Monica uniform.

Allen frowned as they entered the gates of the school. The place still looked like a prison just with a few building sized drapes covering the areas that still needed to be fixed.

'This place is huge,' Belle exclaimed aloud as she gazed out the window like a three-year-old in a candy factory. Allen grunted unpleasantly as he gazed away from the building as the bus came to a stop.

'You'll begin classes tomorrow, as well as assignments so enjoy your free time,' Komui said as he shifted the position of his hat to cover several lumps on his head.

Allen headed for the dormitories, hoping his room was fixed and was relieved to find it was. The only thing he hadn't been expecting was a yellow dart ramming into his forehead.

He fell back gripping his head as he glared at the golden golem that hovered above him with a huge toothy grin.

'Just keep smiling Tim and see what happens,' Allen threatened the small creature as he stood up and walked into his room and threw his bag onto the bed. Tim glided down and nestled in his dark red hair, Allen only shrugged his shoulders as he got used to the golem being there.

He was about to flop himself down when something came to him, hitting him like Timcampy had when he arrived at his bedroom door.

Allen eyes widened as he realized why the ghostly woman looked so familiar… it was because she looked exactly like the woman in the photo with Cross! He dashed out of the room heading to the music room, the one place he was sure he'd find the bastard that brought him here in the first place.

He slammed the door open and found the man laid back in a chair scanning through several pieces of paper. Cross flicked his eyes over to him briefly as Allen took note that the bastard was smoking within the building again!

'I see the idiot's back,' Cross retorted unimpressed as he placed the papers down into a box and pulled up some more. Allen silently fumed at the man but still remained certain about asking him.

'I'm the idiot?!' Allen watched the man's eyes return to look at him but Allen continued nonetheless.

'That woman that was in the photo I saw, she appeared at St Monica… maybe not physically but she was certainly real!' The redheaded man stared at him calmly.

'When are you going to learn that that isn't any of your business,' Cross grunted with annoyance but there was a disturbing coldness in his eyes. Allen frowned at the man not really wanting to let this slip when the door opened behind him.

Phoenix poked her head in looking between them rather amusedly.

'Did I interrupt something?' She sneered. Allen heard Cross get up from his seat and before Allen could react, had gripped the boy by the collar of his uniform.

'No, the brat was just leaving,' Allen protested as he was literally thrown into the corridor and Cross slammed the door after him.

'This isn't over you fucking bastard!' Allen shouted aloud as he got up and kicked the door, leaving a permanent dent in it. He could hear Phoenix snickering behind him. Allen glared at her.

'What do you want?'

'I don't want anything, but something goods come up that Komui needs us both in his office,' Phoenix pointed down the hallway as if telling they should start moving. Allen looked at the door again and followed with Tim fluttering close behind him.

….

There seemed to some sort of ruckus going on as he and Phoenix reached Komui's office. Allen got the feeling that he didn't want to know what would happen if he went inside.

'Will you settle down Chief?' A voice yelled as another bang could be heard. Phoenix cocked her head to the side as if contemplating whether or not to go inside. Allen had already made his decision and went to turn around.

'Allen…? What's going on?' Belle stood in the middle of the corridor looking a little scared. Belle was no longer in her St Monica uniform and Allen guessed that she was going to get her official uniform in the next few days.

'The usual sister-complex tantrum, ya get use to it,' Phoenix pointed to the door as Belle nodded.

'Is that the same man that came to my-St Monica?'

'Looks can be deceiving, I had the same trouble trying to understand how that idiot got his position,' Allen sighed and ran his dark hand through his hair as Phoenix sniggered.

'Don't let Lenalee hear that,'

'What are you guys doing standing outside brother's office?' Speaking of which, Lenalee was now standing there with a frown on her face. It didn't last long when she got her answer as another loud bang and yelling was heard.

Lenalee groaned into her hand and opened the door when she saw how reluctant everyone was. Allen was a little shocked at the mess that clattered about in the office. It certainly wasn't the most organized place… as always.

When they entered the room, Reever was tightening the ropes that held Komui to the chair.

'Oh good…' Reever panted as Komui struggled against his bonds. Allen heard Lenalee groan into her hand as he was left to wonder what happened.

'What happened?'

'It started out as a casual report briefing till Phoenix mention the fact that some boys flirted with you,' Reever rubbed the back of his neck as Lenalee turned to glare at the redheaded girl with an evil grin.

'Phoenix!' Phoenix didn't say anything though her eyes were rather satisfied with the outcome as Lenalee decided to leave it for later.

'SWEET LENALEE, PLEASE FREE YOUR POOR BIG BROTHER SO HE CAN GET REVENGE ON THOSE FIENDS WHO TRIED TO DEFILE YOU!' Komui complained at an incredible volume that Allen had to block his ears. Belle was doing the same, the poor girl was probably wondering about what she had gotten herself into.

Lenalee's cheeks reddened before she activated her innocence and kicked her own brother into the shelves. Reever stopped a protest coming to his lips and just sighed.

'He did deserve that…' Reever muttered in a low voice as Lenalee was scowling her brother once again.

'Why'd you call us here, brother?' Lenalee said stiffly as Komui sniffed and looked up at his little sister.

'Can't I see my sister?'

'Not if you behavior like a spoilt brat!' Allen flinched at the harshness of her words and it left him to wonder who was the true adult between the Lee siblings. Komui then began to wail how mean Lenalee was being to him.

'Was this the something you mentioned Phoenix?' Allen couldn't help but ask the fiery girl who just giggled like a kid at Christmas.

After a few moments, most of the office was put back together and tided slightly as Allen leaned against the couch where Belle and Lenalee were sitting. Phoenix sat cross-legged on the floor as a relatively calm Komui cleared his throat.

'I'm glad everyone could make it. Belle I'm sure you have your innocence, I want you to follow Reever down to the science area where they'll take it and form it into a weapon. Also we'll get your measurements and preferable designs for your uniform,' Belle nodded as she stood up and followed the blonde man out the door.

'Now, you three… I want you to leave early tomorrow because of a report received from a finder about a potential accommodator at the Child Welfare Center,' Allen froze and stared at the sister-complex in disbelief.

'What?' Komui seemed to find his expression amusing because he started to laugh. Allen growled and the man stopped.

'Oh don't be like that Allen, this is a simple assignment… go to the Center, find out if the report is true and bring back the accommodator, see simple,'

'Yeah when you leave the fact that akuma could also show up,' Allen grumbled with annoyance earning another giggle from Phoenix.

'Where is this exactly, brother?'

'It's North of London, in a small town,' Allen felt himself go lightheaded… Not there!

….

**YAY! I got another chapter posted… come to think of it; I never thought I get this far with this story. It was actually a random piece of work I began but now look at it! I probably would never have gotten past the sixth chapter without you guys C=**

**Please keep supporting me by leaving REVIEW!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks to akira-kun.8, if I hadn't seen your review show up on my email I might have turned my computer off and not have written this chapter!**

….

Allen stood there in front of the sink for a few minutes just studying his reflection. He had used the bathroom excuse originally to get away from Phoenix and Lenalee whom began to argue over how to get to the Centre. In all honesty he was just trying to prolong the inevitable of going to that dreaded place.

He sighed as a stranger left the bathroom and he was alone for the time being. Allen hadn't gotten a good look at his innocence since it had taken on its new form. He took a deep breath and concentrated, allowing the innocence to become active.

His arm glowed slightly as a white cowl covered his shoulders and his arm became black with bands of silver and long elegant black claws. What irritated Allen the most was his hair, it no longer was the dark red he was use to seeing but a pure white… now he knew why Belle had given him a puzzled look back at St Monica.

It was… Strange was the first word to come to mind but Allen stopped the activation quickly as he heard the door open. He just wasn't expecting to see Phoenix standing there in the men's bathroom.

'What are you doing here?' Allen shouted as he jumped back and pointed at her in disbelief. But by the look on Phoenix's face she didn't care that she had walked into the wrong toilets.

'Ya coming or what?' She asked still ignoring his question as a man walked in and almost had a heart attack when he saw Phoenix. His mouth was opening and closing like a fish, trying to get his head around why a girl was here.

Allen beat him to it though as he walked by Phoenix and grabbed the girl by the arm and pushed her out the door. Lenalee was waiting rather nervously outside, a faint blush crossing her cheeks.

'You do realize that was the wrong toilet?' she stuttered as Phoenix rolled her eyes and jeered at the Chinese girl.

'Same thing really,'

'No they are not!' Lenalee flustered as they drew some unwanted attention from commuters. It had only been half an hour since they had arrived at the station and Allen did not like the stares directed at them.

'Can we have this argument once we get there, please?' Allen groaned as he tried to block out their measly bickering. They both looked at him before Lenalee sighed.

'Right…'

They walked out of the station and made their way down one of the streets. The buildings were not as tall as the ones in the city but it still had the same feel. Allen took note on the changes that were not there when he was last here. But other than that, not much had changed, just a few added clothing stores and a donut parlor on the corner of the street.

Lenalee had insisted that they stop for lunch before arriving at the Welfare Center, something that Allen immediately agreed on. Phoenix just smiled mischievously and pushed them into the nearest café.

They slipped into a nearby booth as a waiter came and gave them the menus.

'So… Allen why didn't you want to come here?' Lenalee asked as Allen glared at her. He didn't really want to answer that question but even Phoenix cocked her head to the side with interest.

'Nothing you should worry about,' Allen grunted hoping that his answer would deter any more questions. Lenalee frowned at his response though Phoenix gave a thoughtful nod and stood up.

'We're ready to order!' Phoenix called out cheerfully attracting amused looks from the patrons. Lenalee banged her head against the table in utter embarrassment.

'Sometimes Phoenix, you can be just as bad as brother,' Allen barely caught the muffled words as the waiter came over and took down their orders. Only when the waiter went away did Phoenix's upbeat personality hit the rocks.

'At least be grateful that ya have someone who is concerned for ya,' Phoenix snarled in a low voice as Allen sank behind his menu. He really didn't like where this was going and if he had the choice, he would have left before this had even started.

'I am grateful Phoenix, besides you wouldn't understand,' Lenalee snapped back, her fist hitting the table. Allen was right; he really didn't want to be here.

'Understand what? That ya are a fucking spoilt brat! No, wait ya right I don't understand,'

'I'm the spoilt brat? At least I behave like a sensible sixteen-year-old!' Allen glanced around, as their voices got louder. The patrons were once again looking there where and it wasn't a pretty sight.

'Uh, guys…' Allen tried to speak up but it wasn't loud enough as Phoenix snorted but was far from insulted.

'Sensible? Bullshit, ya don't even have the guts to look the snake in the eye! Ya always run to Komui crying ya eyes out, well tough it out sister, ya ain't the only one!' Phoenix snapped, as Allen didn't know whether to take the silence as a good thing or a bad thing. Lenalee was quiet, her eyes slightly red before she rushed out of her booth just as the waiter took the courage to come up to them.

'Uh…?' Phoenix threw a glare at the flabbergasted man.

'We'll have take away please,' she growled, as Allen wasn't sure of where to look.

'Are you sure she's alright?' Allen asked, despite having yelled at her himself, he had never gotten so far as Phoenix had. Phoenix glowered a bit as she ripped open the paper surrounding her roll and took a large bite out of it.

'She's probably waiting at the Center,' Phoenix said with a mouthful of food as Allen nodded but knew he wasn't going to get a straight answer from the redhead. He stared at his own food and began to eat when he heard her sigh raggedly.

'Ya know… we used to be friends once upon a time,' Allen almost coughed up his food as he heard that. He turned and stared at the girl sternly but was surprised by the seriousness glinting in her ruby eyes. She wasn't joking.

….

'Well this place certainly hasn't changed,' Allen grumbled as he scrunched the paper into a tight ball after he had finished eating his roll. Phoenix just clucked her tongue as she gazed at the large building.

'It's kinda depressing especially since it's across from a hospital,' Phoenix frowned as she glanced at the equally large building behind her. Allen nodded his head; he had thought the same thing.

They walked inside, Phoenix leading the way as Allen trailed behind. They saw Lenalee standing by the reception desk talking to a young woman with straight blonde hair pulled up into a loose bun.

'We here!' Phoenix announced as Lenalee turned and only smiled at Allen in greeting. Not like the redheaded girl minded as Allen looked at the woman standing beside Lenalee. Her deep blue blouse seemed to compliment her blue-green eyes as she smiled at them.

'Hello I'm Amelia Galmar, one of the junior staff members working with the children here,' Amelia introduced herself.

'I'm Allen Walker,'

'Phoenix Hills!' Phoenix added childishly as the woman nodded her head and pointed down the hall.

'I'll show you to the Senior Manager's office, I unfortunately have tutoring to do,' Amelia said quickly as she led them down the hall. Phoenix walked ahead and began a conversation with Amelia while Allen and Lenalee trialed behind.

Allen spaced out slightly as he gazed down the halls… it was the same whitewashed paint and pale plastic flooring and the place looked overdue for a renovation. The doors were faded slightly and the paint was crackled at the corners.

He sighed before a simple touch caused him to jolt out of his thoughts. Allen glanced down at his left hand and noticed another holding it in a blood-cutting grip.

It seemed like Lenalee hadn't gotten over the argument from before as she was almost leaning on his shoulder. Allen had to hold back from pushing the girl away and out of his personal space.

'Wait till Komui hears about this…' Allen glared at Phoenix whom stared over her shoulder and sniggered at him.

'Hey, this is not what it looks like!' Allen defended though Phoenix just burst out laughing drawing the attention of Amelia as Allen felt the hand tighten.

'… Here we are, she is just beyond the door,' Amelia chipped in as Lenalee let go much to his relief. They entered the office that was far more organized than Komui's ever will be.

Allen stiffened as the door was closed behind him. There was another woman in the room, most likely in her early fifties, shuffling through some files placed in front of her.

'So you are the students from Our Sacred Heart Academy?' The woman retorted as she stood up. She was a shapely woman who had let her weight get the better of her in Allen's opinion. But he was wiser not to say anything about it with the fearful scorn the she wore on his face.

He felt her eyes flicker over to him and if Allen hadn't known better, he saw a hint of recognition in them and looked towards the bookshelves. That woman's demeanor hadn't changed a bit since he last was here.

Phoenix seemed to have caught the exchange as well as Lenalee but neither was going to voice it out.

'My name is Patricia Duble, but Mrs. Duble to you kids,' the woman scoffed as Phoenix bit her lip. Allen could tell the girl was doing her best not to laugh.

'Follow me,'

They followed without another word as Phoenix and Lenalee fell into step with Allen behind the woman.

'Do you know her?' Lenalee asked as Allen shook his head.

'I wish I never knew her,' was all Allen was going to give them as Mrs. Duble gave them the evil eye before opening another door. The sounds of children's laughter could now be heard as they approached a single room.

'Maisy!' The woman opened the door roughly causing some of the children to jump in shock and fear. Mrs. Duble didn't pay any attention to them as she stared at another woman with brown wavy hair sitting on a chair.

The woman, Maisy looked up from the guitar that sat on her lap. She didn't seem happy that Mrs. Duble had entered the room without knocking.

'Can I help you Patricia?' She asked curiously though her frown remained. Mrs. Duble jabbed her thumb at Allen, Lenalee and Phoenix who were looking into the room from the door.

'Those students have arrived, you deal with them,' with that the woman pushed rudely past them as Lenalee and Phoenix entered the room.

'Sorry about the intrusion,' Lenalee said apologetically as Maisy shook her head.

'Don't worry about it, I just wish Patricia wouldn't be so rude,' Maisy said waving her hand in front of her with a short laugh. Allen stood behind them not wanting to catch her eye and recognize him as well.

'Oh okay… we're here to talk to one of the children,' Lenalee said, as Maisy seemed to sigh helplessly.

'He's with his tutor now but I'm impressed that Amelia can handle that child's foulness,' Maisy chuckled as she dismissed the children hanging around at her feet and they hurried off to the playground outside.

'Foulness?' Lenalee tilted her head to the side as Phoenix snickered at the girl's question. Lenalee in turn glared at Phoenix to not say a word.

'Yes, most of these children were taken from abusive families, the boy was caught in his father's stealing and was forced to swallow a single piece of expensive jewelry…' then Maisy shook her head.

'His foulness comes from his resentment of his father, but I'm use to it since I handled another such child years ago,' the woman smiled but Allen shuddered as he slowly tried to retreat from the room. He wasn't lucky though because the woman finally caught sight of him.

'I didn't realize there was another of you here,' Allen could feel their gaze burn holes into his back but he was reluctant to turn around.

'Allen don't be rude and say hi,' Lenalee told him off as Allen grumbled and turned around but still couldn't look the woman in the eye.

'Allen?' Maisy was up on her feet and the guitar fell to the ground quickly as Allen was pulled into a rather suffocating embrace.

'It is you, isn't it Allen? I'm so glad you're okay,' Maisy pulled away and looked him over as if seeing if everything was all right.

'My you've grown so much,' Allen growled with annoyance as the woman continued to fawn over him. But when she noticed his irritation she took a willing step back.

'I see that you're as cold as ever, Allen,' Maisy smiled as he finally saw the inquisitive stares of Phoenix and Lenalee.

'I used to live here and Maisy was my caretaker,' Allen explained quite hesitantly as he watched Lenalee's jaw drop.

'I never heard this, the only thing brother had on you was your criminal record...' Lenalee paused as Allen glared dangerously at her. He hadn't wanted Maisy to find out about that.

'A criminal record! I thought I taught you better than that Allen!' Maisy exclaimed aloud and with disappointment to boot. This was one of Allen's minor reasons he didn't want to come here.

'No, don't explain it to me… you three should join us for dinner and I'll introduce you to Timothy,' Maisy said with a strong wave of her hand.

….

**Another chapter done and the next… hmm might be up in another few days… maybe…**

**Oh well, I hope you enjoyed this one and please leave a REVIEW!**


	23. Chapter 23

….

They entered the wide spacious hall that was the cafeteria. Rows of tables and chairs allowed substantial room to move about though Allen most tripped one of the kids pulled out suddenly.

Maisy didn't seem so bothered by the mass of small heads dotted throughout the room; she just simply smiled and carried on. The woman led them to one of the far corners of the room where Amelia was sitting next to a rather tense kid.

The boy was glowering at the book opened in front of him as the blonde woman tried to explain something to him.

'Amelia, you shouldn't take your tutoring time into dinner,' Maisy sighed but Amelia frowned at her when she noticed they were there.

'It is not my fault that someone is like a stubborn little pervert!' Amelia retorted and Allen could have sworn that he swore an angry twitch to her eyes. He shook his head slightly and cocked his head to the side to get a better look at the kid. The boy's hair was a turquoise blue and cropped quite short at the front. He also wore a bandana over his forehead.

'What ya staring at?' The kid growled and threw a glare at him. Allen stared back creasing his brow to show that he wasn't happy with that greeting. Lenalee intervened then probably assuming where that could end up.

'I'm Lenalee and this is Phoenix and Allen, it's a pleasure to meet you,' Lenalee spoke kindly as the kid looked at each of them in turn. Then an irritable smirk graced his small lips.

'What's with the outfits?'

'They are our school uniforms, we're from a special school,' Lenalee explained as Allen heard Phoenix muffle a snort of amusement. He just groaned and shook his head, not entirely agreeing with Lenalee.

'How old are you, kid?' Allen broke in quite rudely but he wasn't going to keep hearing Lenalee honey coating the truth to this kid.

'Seven, what it's to you ginger?' Allen twitched when he heard the classic insult for redheads. But his hair wasn't bright red like Phoenix it was dark almost brown in colour.

'We're from a school that trains exorcists to fight against monsters that could be in this room as we speak,' Allen lowered his voice as Amelia stare at him.

'Allen, don't…' but Allen waved his hand for silence.

'A report from a finder speculates that you could possibly be an accommodator of innocence,' he finished by folding his arms. Behind him he could hear Phoenix burst out laughing while Lenalee complained about Allen being too straightforward.

'Innocence? What kind of fairy tale are you spinning?' Amelia asked quite frankly as Allen rolled his eyes and showed her his left hand.

'I had the same thought unfortunately the bastard was right,' Amelia's eyes widen when she saw the dark discolored hand and looked at the kid. The boy was also staring but he seemed to be in awe but it wasn't long until a stubborn look took over.

'Allen, language please we are surrounded by young children,' Maisy said sternly as she placed her hand over the boy's gaping mouth almost suspecting that he wasn't going to say something nice.

'Excuse everything but this is Timothy Hearst, the one mentioned in the report,' Maisy said as she removed her hand and wiped it on her jeans. Timothy stuck his tongue out at the woman and grumbled under his breath.

'Did you talk to the finder?' Lenalee asked, as Maisy seemed to think.

'Not really but the man was hanging around when I took some of the children on an excursion around the market,' the woman smiled warmly before gesturing for them to follow her.

'But I'll get into further detail after dinner, its a little too crowded and not many staff know about Timothy's _condition_,' Allen shrugged his shoulders and sat on the opposite side of the table. Timothy was glaring at him but he just smirked back, seemingly annoying the kid further.

After dinner Maisy led them to her office situated quite close to the dormitories of the Welfare Centre. Allen, Lenalee and Phoenix sat in the small room with Timothy and Amelia. Maisy wondered over to her desk and pulled out a file.

'The man I met a few days ago, had asked a few questions after he had accidentally saw Timothy's forehead, I didn't know he was a finder,' Maisy said as she gazed at Timothy expectantly. The kid was displeased but reluctantly pulled his bandana from his forehead revealing a strange glowing green orb sticking out of his head.

Allen hadn't been expecting something like that as Phoenix took a step forward and poked the orb with her finger. He could tell she was overly curious about the thing but it just angered Timothy further.

'Will ya quit it?' Timothy shouted at her and attempted to slap her hand away but Phoenix pulled her hand away in time and poked him in the head again.

'It's quite hard, how'd it get here?' Phoenix looked up as she held the boy in the chair while he tried to attack her. Though, honestly, it wasn't going well. Allen sniggered but it only drew the boy's attention to him.

'Shaddup!'

'I told you before, his father had taken him on a crime spree at a jewelry store and he was forced to swallow one of the jewels. His father was badly injured in the standoff with police and they both went to hospital, Timothy's been like that ever since,' Maisy grimaced as Timothy continued to struggle in Phoenix's grip. The redheaded girl seemed to be enjoying the helplessness of the kid before Lenalee hit Phoenix across the ear and the girl let Timothy go.

'Ya such a wet blanket, Lenalee,' Phoenix whined while rubbing her ear as Lenalee glared at her before politely smiling at Amelia and Maisy.

'It might be innocence and if so, he'll have to come back with us but I'll talk to brother about this,' Lenalee said as she walked out of the room, probably in search of a phone since there wasn't one in Maisy's office.

'How long has Timothy been here?' Allen asked.

'A few months now,' Allen thought for a moment as he gazed at Timothy whom was readjusting his bandana. Maisy went over and tried to help the boy but Timothy snapped at her so she backed away with a small smile.

'Timothy, have you ever done anything out of the ordinary before?' Allen tilted his head to the side as the boy glared at him.

'What's it to ya?'

'Everything, if you haven't experienced any unnatural happenings then that things just a growth on your forehead,' Timothy seemed to flare up at him as Allen chuckled as Amelia latched onto his shoulders.

'I think I did something once, I was playing on the playground outside when I accidentally knocked heads when another kid,' Timothy spoke after he had calmed down.

'And?'

'I don't know, the next thing I knew I was staring at my own body,'

'So it is innocence? I'm surprised you haven't met akuma yet,' Allen sneered as both Timothy and Amelia frowned at him.

'What's an akuma?' Maisy offered to ask as Phoenix clucked her tongue.

'Living weapons but they're a ton of fun to mess with,' Phoenix wasn't helping as she childishly giggled the chair she had jumped in. It was then that Lenalee walked back into the room.

'Honestly Phoenix, answer a question properly… Akuma are monsters created by the Millennium Earl, no one has seen him but he exists unfortunately to bring about our destruction,'

'You mean, no one alive has seen him,' Allen corrected on his own earning a glare from Lenalee for interrupting her.

'What?'

'Must you add that Allen?' Allen shrugged at the question as Lenalee sighed.

'Brother says to stay a few days and see what happens,' Lenalee explained, but a whistle from Phoenix diverted her attention.

'I think we're dealing with a parasitic type innocence with the ability of possession,' Phoenix chirped happily, Lenalee frowned slightly before staring at Timothy. The boy seemed quite confused by the redhead's words.

'Maybe… if that's so, Allen how about you company him since you're also parasitic,'

'WHAT?' Allen shouted as well as Timothy.

'I'm not getting stuck with ginger,'

'Do you know how old that name _is_?' Allen growled at the boy who just poked his tongue out instead of answering.

'I suppose it could work,' Maisy seemed to be thinking about it with an inquisitive stare. Phoenix, however, didn't say anything and pouted with annoyance. While Phoenix began questioning Lenalee, Allen felt a hand touch his shoulder.

He turned to see Maisy staring quietly at him.

'You can always take a trip around town, there's this ice creamery that Timothy likes so why not take him there tomorrow?' Maisy said with another one of her smiles as Allen sighed and ruffled his hair with both his hands. He was beginning to question the fact that it had to be him to mind a kid almost similar to him!

….

Allen wasn't enjoying this at all as he walked down the street with Timothy trailing behind him. It was close to lunchtime and as Maisy had suggested he was taking Timothy to the ice creamery she had spoken of. The boy seemed more than pleased with that, as he seemed almost eager to go.

The only problem with this idea was Allen's cunning ability to get lost even in a small town like this. But he didn't say this out loud because Maisy had suggested of going with them if they didn't want to be alone. Instead she gave him a small map… not like it was helping him much and he wasn't going to ask Timothy to read it.

'So? Ya knew Maisy?' Timothy spoke as they entered a small park with a wide grassy oval and a playground unlike the one at the Welfare Centre.

'Yeah, you could say that,' Allen slumped down on a park bench and gazed out at the kids playing around, Timothy jumped up onto the bench beside him.

'She's close to ya?'

'She is the closest thing I have to a mother, I suppose, I still haven't figured out why she took care of a runt like me in the first place,' Allen then stared at Timothy who was once again fidgeting with his bandana. It was hard to tell that there was a huge orb thing sticking out of his forehead underneath the fabric.

'Maisy's the only person who isn't bothered by this thing on my forehead,' Timothy grumbled as Allen chuckled. He was finding it interesting on how open this kid was being despite their meeting. Maybe Maisy was right about taking him to get an ice cream.

'Maisy is never one to judge people on appearance, it's probably why she's put up with my arm being different,'

'I suppose ya right… What's ya school like?' Timothy asked as Allen ran his hand through his hair.

'Interesting, you'll enjoy it somewhat but that is if you exclude a sister-complex vice-principal, a girly look guy about my age and well, you'll see when you get there,' Allen was stuck about what else to say probably because he was disturbed about Komui's behavior and agitated at Kanda.

'Sounds interesting…' Timothy wasn't convinced as Allen shrugged. He yawned aloud and stretched himself out on the bench until he felt a hard knock against his ankle. There was a brief gasp of surprise before an inevitable thud followed as Allen grasped at his throbbing ankle.

Allen stared at the person who he had unintentionally tripped; it was a boy about his age but with dark hair pulled into a low ponytail.

'I'm sorry about that,' Allen said stiffly, he hadn't meant to trip the guy but he wasn't going to offer any help.

'It's fine, I would have tripped over my own feet anyway,' the teen smiled as he looked at them. A dark curly fringe covered the right half of the teen's face as Allen stared at the storm grey eye looking back at him.

Allen watched him stand up and brushed the dirt off his coat and pants. Then the teen seemed to take some interest in his uniform but Allen couldn't sense anything bad about him.

'Shouldn't you be at school?'

'Not really, we're on an excursion of sort,' Allen replied but was slightly baffled why he had bothered answering the question of a complete stranger.

'I don't have school because of family related issues,' Allen bit back a harsh remark and glanced to the side.

'Why are ya even talking to us?' Timothy stared at the teen while Allen looked back at him.

'To be frank, I'm lost and I had hoped to re-navigate myself from the park,' the teen said bashfully. Allen winced because he too was also lost but he'd rather kill himself than admit it.

'And that's our problem because?' Timothy snorted in annoyance but the teen fell silent at least as if contemplating his answer. Allen sighed haggardly as he stood up.

'Let's go to that ice cream place, Timothy,' he said as the teen blinked in realization at something.

'Is it that place that sells the famous sundae with seven different flavours? My cousin says they're the best but I've never tried it,' Allen was startled as the teen's mood changed dramatically to an overjoyed three-year-old.

'Yep, especially the hot choc fudge supreme with the banana spilt,' Timothy seemed to be drooling too as Allen glanced between the two idiots he had found himself standing next to.

'Can I go too, please?' Allen suddenly felt his personal space being violated as a complete stranger shamelessly grabbed onto his shoulders and shook him. He grabbed the teen's hands and pulled them away as he stepped back rather dizzily.

'Ah! I'm so sorry, I get over excited sometimes,' the teen apologized.

'Fine but under three conditions; do not ever touch me; you paid for your own ice cream and who the fucking hell are you?' Allen snapped as the teen widened his eyes before slapping his forehead.

'Whoops, sorry about that, my name is Mana, Mana Walker,'

….

**Hey guys, I'm back and adding another twist on a much loved character… Heheh I just love adding plot twists Cx**

**Hope you enjoy and please leave a REVIEW!**


	24. Chapter 24

….

Allen tipped the bottle of coke upwards and let the cold liquid flow down his throat. It was refreshing to say the least while Timothy gorged himself on a multi-scooped sundae with choc sprinkles and a wafer. Just watching him eat made Allen slightly nauseous that someone could eat that huge amount of ice cream.

He glanced across the table at the teen that had somehow tagged along with them. Mana, if Allen recalled correctly was tucking into his own sundae but it was less extravagant than Timothy's.

'Well she wasn't kidding, this place really does have great ice cream,' Mana exclaimed as he finished his food and lay back against the back of the seat. Allen still wasn't so sure about this person but there was nothing wrong with him… he just sighed with annoyance and drained the rest of the bottle.

'You've been quiet for a while, is something wrong?' Mana asked as Allen slowly blinked at him before shrugging his shoulders.

'Nothing really,'

'Are ya thinking of getting a sundae too ginger?' Allen glared at Timothy.

'Can't you think of anything better than ginger?' He challenged the kid before turning to look out the window next to their booth. Allen didn't hear anything from Timothy so it was safe to say that the kid was thinking.

'Honestly nothing is wrong… you're almost as annoying as Lenalee,' Allen grumbled the last part under his breath as he glanced over his shoulder at the clock hanging over the register. It was almost 4:30 and Allen knew they should be heading back now.

'Hurry and finish that Timothy, we need to head back now,' Allen said as Timothy snapped out of his thoughts and continued to devour his sundae or what was left of it. Mana just tilted his head to the side as he watched Allen stand up from the booth.

'Where are you off to?'

'That doesn't concern you,' Allen replied coldly as Mana shied away.

'I was only asking,' Allen shook his head as Timothy jumped out of the booth and they headed for the exit. He heard the sound of footsteps following behind and he turned to see Mana only a few steps behind.

'Don't worry I'm not following you, remember I said before I have family related issues in this town,' Mana quipped quickly leaving almost no room for Allen to complain as he shrugged and they headed out the door.

'So this is where you ran off to, Mana?' Allen subconsciously followed the voice to see a man in his mid twenties walking towards them. Wide circular frames adorned his noses and dark brown eyes stared through the glass while brown curls surrounded his face.

'Uncle? I thought you weren't going to visit,' Mana seemed almost surprised as the man stopped in front of them. Allen continued to stare at the man, for some odd reason his left hand had begun to steadily shake. But he wasn't sure if it was excitement or fear.

Something was definitely off about the man!

'I changed my mind when Road called, saying she had lost you at the station,' Mana sheepishly gazed to the side as Allen turned to leave.

'I hope Mana wasn't a problem for you boy, his lack of direction seems to run in the family,' Mana's uncle playfully joked but Mana's face reddened with embarrassment.

'Not a problem at all… Let's go Timothy,' Allen spoke solemnly as he hurried Timothy away. He just couldn't help but feel the man's eyes follow him until he was finally out of sight.

….

After having to detour several times, Allen and Timothy finally made it back to the Welfare Centre. It was well past six and Allen knew Maisy would certainly say something about that.

'Thanks for the day out, ginger,'

'Will you quit calling me ginger!' Allen shouted at him as Timothy bolted down the hall laughing as he went. Allen grumbled with irritation almost wondering how'd he get back at the kid. Timothy was nice when he wanted to be but was an absolute brat any other time.

Allen sighed and slowly walked down the hall, hoping to find his way to Maisy's office. He was presuming that Phoenix and Lenalee would be there so he could tell them that everything went well.

'… He has always been a little rebellious and withdrawn Lenalee, you shouldn't blame yourself for trying without knowing,' Allen paused outside the door his hand hesitating to grab the handle.

'You know him longer than I do, Maisy,' there was a small pause as Allen decided against going into the room. From what he could tell Phoenix wasn't there or she'd have said something crude about now.

'Not as much as I'd hoped,' Maisy spoke with a rueful tone as he heard the slight movement of a chair.

'Why?' Lenalee sounded uncertain if she should even be asking such a question.

'Like all children in the Welfare Centre, we try and find them foster homes. Allen was one of them but whenever he'd be fostered by a couple or family… strange things often occurred,' he heard Maisy hesitant when she said the last part. Allen frowned, he didn't remember much about his past life in the Centre.

'He was fostered out three times in three years, each didn't even last longer than five months before something went wrong,'

'It does sound strange, but why?' Lenalee asked as Allen heard a sigh and presumed it was Maisy.

'A fire mysteriously started in the house of his first foster family. The second foster family was taking a road trip when their car crashed into a tree… and then the third and last foster family, there was a home robbery where an elderly man was killed,'

Allen jolted suddenly at the last words.

'_**What are you doing? Get out of my house!**_' A dark blur crossed Allen's line of vision. He saw a glint of silver and a figure cloaked in shadow but the memory wavered.

'_**D-don't stop me or I'll shoot!**_' There was a shaking hand before an ear-shattering bang echoed through the small room. Allen winced as pain shot through his head and he fell over.

His fall must have been loud because he saw Maisy and Lenalee beside him. Allen tried to say something but it didn't take long for the pain to overwhelm him and then blackness.

….

Consciousness returned to Allen as he stared up at the dreary ceiling with a blaring fluorescent light. He heard some shuffling beside him and turned to see Maisy sitting in a chair.

'I'm glad you're up Allen, why didn't you say you were back…?'

'I can't remember,' Allen interrupted her, mostly not wanting her to remind him that he was eavesdropping. But since it was about him, it didn't matter much anyway.

'Huh?'

'I can't remember what happened that night… I remember the first two foster families, that high-class couple and the family with a snobby kid… but not the third,' Maisy's lips curled into a small reassuring smile.

'It was an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Frazer if I remember correctly,' Allen nodded slowly. The names seemed familiar but they still weren't ringing any bells.

'I think it was late summer when they came to get you, I was a little worried because of Mr. Frazer's post war syndrome but you're a good child,' Allen felt his cheeks heat up as Maisy seemed to emphasize that he was a 'good child'.

'Don't say things like that, it's embarrassing!' Allen protested as he sat up even though there still was a dull throb in his head. The door opened then and Phoenix and Lenalee walked in followed closely by a fuming Amelia and Timothy.

Phoenix seemed to have quite the amused expression pasted on her face that Allen was left wonder what was going on.

'It's good to see you awake Allen, don't give us a scare like that again,' Lenalee said as Allen shrugged it off. Off to the side Maisy seemed to have gotten up at some point was quietly talking to Amelia.

'We'll be heading off tomorrow,' Lenalee added but Phoenix burst out laughing.

'Actually Komui was wailing on the other end of the phone, 'I want my darling sweet Lenalee back making me her super duper coffee,'' Lenalee clubbed Phoenix over the head with her hand.

'He didn't have to know that Phoenix,' Lenalee growled but Phoenix only laughed harder. Timothy glanced at the two as they began to bicker again before turning to Allen.

'Does this happen often?'

'No, you'll mostly see Lavi annoying Kanda more often than this, they tend to avoid each other back at the Academy,' Allen grimaced before a loud sound echoed through the room. The sound was almost like someone turning the key in a lock and having the microphone next to it.

Everyone paused and looked towards the door but the door wasn't there anymore.

'Where's the door?' Amelia spoke the obvious as confusion settled amongst them. Phoenix tilted her head to the side and went over to the now bare wall before kicking a whole through it.

'Phoenix don't…' Lenalee began to shout before seeing the illuminating swirl of purple replace the empty hallway.

'Well Lenalee, we're not in Kansas anymore,' Phoenix joked.

'I can clearly see that but where are…?'

_**This is my dream Exorcists but this will be your tomb… **_

Allen went rigid as a voice spoke through the air around them; it was seemed to belong to a rather sadistic girl as she softly giggled around them.

'Who are you?' Allen shouted out into the empty space of the ceiling above.

'Allen don't…'

_**Heh~ I'm glad Joyd didn't kill you Allen, it just means more fun for me~**_

Allen flinched at the voice's words… Joyd? He knew of no one of that name but then again that Noah had almost killed him before when the Academy was under attack. Was that the man's name?

'Who are you?' Allen repeated coldly as laughter could be heard again.

_**I'm the Dreams of Noah, the Ninth Apostle, Rhodo~ and you'll be playing my little game exorcists!**_

Allen clenched his teeth together; they didn't have any choice if what the Noah said was true.

'Noah? But why are they messing with us now?' Lenalee murmured almost in annoyance as another laugh rippled through the room but this time they heard it coming from the chair.

'That's because exorcists always seem to be in the most convenient of places,' the chair turned around to reveal a young girl with spiky blue hair. Her clothes were a punk-goth fashion but her skin was a distinguishable dark umber and molten golden eyes seemed to grin at them.

The Noah stood up place one hand on her hip and gazed inquisitively at them.

'Hmm? I seemed to have dragged two humans into this… oh well~' she chimed happily as an array of spiked candles materialized in mid-air. Allen got up quickly, seeing the Noah's intentions as he summoned his white cowl.

The candles zoomed towards but Allen knocked them away. The Noah didn't seem amused and just poked her tongue at them.

'Hmph, you're no fun Allen~ but I hadn't planned on taking you on myself in the first place,' as she said this shadows loomed through the large window behind her. Phoenix reacted as Allen felt the heat of flames emanating from her body as she rushed past.

'Finally a party!' The redhead said gleefully as the akuma smashed through the window and the Noah seemed to disappear from in front of them. Allen soon lost sight of her within the roaring flames of her innocence as he heard Lenalee step up beside him.

'We have to protect Amelia, Maisy and Timothy from them,' she spoke as she activated her innocence and fluttered into the air as graceful as a butterfly. Allen took a step back knowing fully well what she had meant.

'I don't need protecting, ya said I was one of ya guys,' Timothy growled as Allen turned to him.

'Unfortunately you do not have control it yet just stay back and protect Amelia and Maisy,' Allen said as he sensed the looming presence of an akuma behind him and quickly ducked under its sweeping arm.

Activating his black claw, Allen easily turned it into ribbons of flesh. The blood splattering across his uniform and face. But looking up, the swarm of akuma was endless but he didn't miss the Noah casually hovering in the air atop of something.

The gleeful look in her eyes was enough to make him shudder.

….

**And that's all I'll write for now, sorry for the lateness of this chapter… just got lazy about writing this is all (hope it doesn't happen again!) **

**Any who, hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a REVIEW!**


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